Apple’s iOS 10 already offers users with facial recognition software for photos. However, it appears as if the Cupertino tech-giant is planning on adding the facial recognition feature as an authentication tool. The company has reportedly acquired Israeli face recognition start-up called RealFace earlier this week.
According to a report published by Calcalist, this is the fourth acquisition made by Apple in Israel. “The company will pay millions of dollars for start-up, to develop technology that replaces passwords with a facial recognition tool,” the report read.
Apple hasn’t confirmed the news yet. However, Start-up Nation Central (database for Israeli tech companies) suggests that Apple acquired RealFace earlier this month.
Back in December 2011, Apple acquired the Herzliya-based Anobit — a company that develops chip that specialises in optimising flash memory using a unique technology for signal processing for $400 million. After which, the company acquired a start-up called Friimsns in November 2013 for $345 million. Friimsns is known to develop a system that translates body motions into instructions. The third acquisition of Apple was of camera manufacturing company Lynx.
Several reports in the past have suggested that the upcoming iPhone 8 could come equipped with an embedded iris scanner that would let users unlock the device just by looking at it. Hence, there is a high possibility that Apple might just use RealFace’s technology as an alternative feature in the 2017 iPhone.
