Straight from the files of small lifestyle changes brought on by the coronavirus: Apple is testing how to make it easier for iPhone owners wearing face masks to unlock their devices.
The tech giant, as The Washington Post pointed out on Friday, has developers beta testing a new feature that would recognize whether users are wearing face masks, allowing them to automatically bypass Apple’s Face ID login. Some developers have already shared a look at how the feature would look on iOS 13.5.
Instead, users wearing face masks would be directed to the passcode screen, rather than being asked to try multiple Face ID logins.
Apple did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The new feature comes as millions of Americans have started wearing face masks to run their errands, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If rolled out, the feature would save users a few precious seconds spent taking their face masks on and off to check their iPhones.
Apple on Thursday reported iPhone sales dipped 7% between January and March compared to the same time last year. Overall, the company reported $58.3 billion in sales for the period, marking a 1% year-over-year increase. Apple chief Tim Cook, during the company’s earnings call, said the company saw a record amount of FaceTime during the quarter.