OnePlus 5 Getting Face Unlock Security Feature Due To ‘Popular Demand’

OnePlus is bringing the Face Unlock feature of the OnePlus 5T to its predecessor, the OnePlus 5. The company says it is adding the security feature to the latter because users have been asking for it. This is definitely good news to owners whose handsets just received the Android Oreo treatment in time for Christmas.

Over the weekend, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei took to Twitter to announce to the company’s fans that the OnePlus 5 is getting the Face Unlock feature OnePlus introduced with the OnePlus 5T. The feature has previously made headlines for working similarly with iPhone X’s Face ID.

Despite not being as secure as Apple’s implementation, OnePlus’ Face Unlock is a good addition to the company’s smartphones because it adds another layer of protection. Furthermore, Pei has pointed out that they decided to roll out Face Unlock to OnePlus 5 as a response to the strong demand for it from owners. “Due to popular demand, Face Unlock is coming for the OnePlus 5. Thanks for the feedback, and merry Christmas,” Pei tweeted.

It’s not surprising that OnePlus is capable of bringing Face Unlock to OnePlus 5 via a software update. The OnePlus 5 and 5T are after all very similar in terms of hardware. This is in spite of the fact that the OnePlus 5 came before the OnePlus 5T, as pointed out by Android Police.

It isn’t clear if Face Unlock has already arrived via the Oreo update that OnePlus rolled out to OnePlus 5 owners as an early Christmas present. The feature is nowhere to be found in the changelog. It’s worth noting though that someone has already spotted Face Unlock in the leaked beta 2 (closed beta 2) for the handset.

OnePlus’ Face Unlock is designed mainly to secure phones as a lock/unlock feature. It isn’t made to secure payments or other sensitive transactions. What’s good with Face Unlock though is it isn’t being forced to users as the only biometric system like what Apple is doing with Face ID. Users are still free to use the fingerprint sensor that’s embedded into the OnePlus 5’s home button, according to The Verge.

The news comes weeks after OnePlus rolled out OxygenOS 4.7.4 to OnePlus 5T early this month. The 286MB software update came with the promised camera improvements, as well as bug fixes and other customizations.

The release notes that came with OxygenOS 4.7.4 read:

Camera