iPhone X users have been complaining that they are unable to use Face ID to approve app purchase requests by their children.
Users note that while they can use Touch ID on other devices to approve purchases through the Ask to Buy feature in iOS, it doesn’t work with Face ID …
Arstechnica notes that it’s a particularly problematic issue at this time of year.
The site says that it’s surprising given that Face ID works seamlessly with third-party apps.
However, it’s likely that Apple made a deliberate decision to exclude Face ID from approving family purchases due to the risks of the system being fooled by a child. The company warned when launching the iPhone X that the one-in-a-million odds against the wrong face being able to fool Face ID did not apply to close family members.
Apple specifically noted that the probability of an incorrect match was considerably higher with twins, siblings and children under the age of 13 – and we have indeed since seen examples of all three.
Since the whole point of Ask to Buy is to ensure kids are not able to make purchases without parental approval, this is one example where it makes sense for Apple to err on the side of caution. However, perhaps a sensible compromise would be to allow approval via iPhone passcode rather than the likely more complex Apple ID password.
