Qualcomm’s Latest Chips Support SenseTime’s AI-Powered Multiple Face Unlock Feature
Jun. 27, 2018Among other things on show, we got to see and test one of the cool new features Qualcomm has built into most new Snapdragon chipsets. Yes, we are talking about anAI-powered face unlock technology that’s not only fast but also lets you add multiple faces.
We tried out the multiple face unlock feature at theQualcommbooth and well, it works pretty well.We added 3 faces to a Galaxy S9 that had the feature enabled,and we were able to unlock the phone with all of the faces in a snap. In its present form, you can name the face you are adding and when you unlock the phone, it shows the name of the face used to unlock it.
TheAI-powered feature is created by SenseTime, the Chinese company which is the world’s highest-valued AI startup. According to Qualcomm, multiple face unlock will leverage SenseTime’s AI technology to get faster and more accurate over time.SenseTime’s Multiple Face Unlock in action on a Galaxy S9 (Image: Beebom)
According to the Qualcomm’s spokesman we talked to, thenew feature is supported on every new chipset launched after Snapdragon 660, except for the Snapdragon 4xx series. So, while it’s obvious that higher-end chipsets like the Snapdragon 845 and theSD710support this, even the Snapdragon 636 or the newly announced Snapdragon 632, which are going to be seen in mid-range and budget smartphones, support the multiple face unlock feature.
Nearly all smartphones these days come with some form of face unlock, and while most of them work well, they lack the option to add multiple faces, which is something a lot of people have the need for.
In fact, Apple has added the option to add multiple faces in the iPhone X’sFace IDwith the new iOS 12, so it’s high Android manufacturers too bring multiple face unlock support, and Qualcomm is helping them get there.
Rupesh is a section editor here and one of the hosts at our YouTube channel. A long time mobile lover and technology aficionado, he loves to indulge in all things technology! In his free time (which is non-existent), he loves watching Westworld, Silicon Valley, and Game of Thrones, obviously.
