Password is one of the important thing to be considered for a smartphone user. Android, the top smartphone operating system maker introduced pattern method to unlock the smartphone. The pattern system to unlock phone worked great. Also, Google introduced lot of other features to unlock smartphone. "Face unlock" was one of the alternative unlock method for Android smartphone which was introduced when Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was announced. The Face Unlock feature contained security issues that the phone with Face Unlock feature can be unlocked easily by showing a photo towards the camera. Google Facial password for Android will now not only detects the face but also the gestures that you make using your face.
The well known Face Unlock feature worked fine even when users showed the photo of the person whose face is setted as a password. The Face Unlock feature just compared between the face shown while unlocking the phone and the photo which was set already when password was fixed. When Google was asked about this, they weren't able to answer to it.
Now, Google has filed a patent called "Facial password" which not only detects the actual face but also the gestures we make. Google believes that this might replace the security bug which was faced by Face Unlock. Google Facial password lets the user to set a face gesture as their password. Some of the gestures may be forehead wrinkle, a smile, tongue protrusion and more.
The gesture or action made by the user will be analysed by the smartphone by comparing to the one which you have set already. When the phone recognizes the gestures made by you, there exists no way for user to unlock phone by showing a photo.
Do you use an Android smartphone? Share your thoughts about the new facial password below in comments.