Face recognition on Pixel phones is improved by Google in the presence of Apple.

According to three former workers of the Alphabet Inc. business who are familiar with the operations, facial recognition was briefly removed from the most recent Google Pixel phones on Thursday due to problems with cost and performance.

The new Pixel 7's functionality is inferior to Apple Inc.'s Face ID unlocking system since it struggles in low light and is more susceptible to being spoof. Additionally, Google has stated that it is not secure enough to provide app sign-in or payment functionality.

The comeback comes after Google tightened its guidelines for releasing facial recognition products, in part because of concerns about how well it would work on people with darker skin. Since the previous Pixel with the feature released in 2019, the business has taken the time to reassess its approach to testing and teaching face recognition, according to one of the people.

On a number of particular inquiries regarding its experience with face unlock, Google chose not to respond.
According to the general statement, "Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro offer Face Unlock, but we're handling it a little differently, thanks to improved machine learning algorithms for face recognition."

"We achieve good facial accuracy performance with the front-facing camera," the statement continued.

Although Google has been working on face unlock for Android handsets for at least ten years, the pressure increased when Apple introduced Face ID in September 2017, according to the sources.

According to one of the insiders, up until that time, Google had trouble coming up with a system that worked quickly and was immune to spoofing, which refers to the use of images or incredibly lifelike costumes to trick someone else's phone into unlocking.

To fight spoofing, engineers considered requiring a smile or a blink as evidence of a person's "liveness," but it was unwieldy and slow, the source added.

Another source claimed that Google management approved a similar technique when Apple's Face ID, which maps a person's face using depth-sensing and infrared technology dubbed TrueDepth, became available. The infrared depth-sensing system of Google's Pixel 4—released in 2019—was known as uDepth.

According to Google, it worked well, even in low light, with a 1-in-50,000 chance or less of unlocking a phone for an illegal face.

But the equipment was pricey. Google's annual sales have reached a maximum of a few million units, but Apple sells 240 million iPhones annually, prohibiting it from purchasing parts at the same volume savings Apple does.

According to the reports, Google discontinued uDepth in the Pixel 5 in 2020 due of expenses.

Face masking was removed from the Pixel 6 last year and further investigation was required by Google as a result of the pandemic, according to two sources.

The latest phones use a standard front camera for face unlock. However, unlike the previous method, it is unable to securely unlock apps and payments since, according to Google, spoofing risks are higher than 20%, which is higher than the 7pc barrier it required to be regarded most "safe".

Google notes that using sunglasses and low light conditions can also be problematic and that fingerprint unlock is still an option.