Earlier this week, Google did a comprehensive job of unveiling the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (and the rest of the Pixel 9 series), but more specs and features are coming to light after the event – including a key security upgrade for the successor to the Google Pixel Fold.
As reported by Android Police, the face unlock feature on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a step up from the original Pixel Fold. While the previous foldable also had face recognition (alongside fingerprint recognition), on the new model it’s harder to fool.
That means you can use your face to unlock secure apps (such as password managers or banking apps), as well as to unlock the phone itself. It’s a little bit of extra peace of mind should someone else gain access to your phone.
You can verify the upgrade on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold by opening Settings and heading to Security & privacy, Device lock, and Fingerprint & face unlock. On that screen you’ll find the option to use your face to get into the most secure apps on the handset.
Different class
While plenty of Android phones offer face unlock, they don’t all offer the same degree of accuracy and reliability – the sort of accuracy and reliability you get with Face ID on Apple handsets such as the iPhone 15, for example.
It’s all down to the hardware and software built into the phone. A standard front-facing selfie camera can recognize a face, but can also be tricked with a picture of someone – making it a less-than-impregnable protection measure.
With an extra depth sensor to measure the contours of a face, the technology is much more robust. This is known as class 3 biometric protection, the highest there is, and it seems likely that this is what the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has.
Head over to our Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold hands-on to find out about our early impressions of the device, and we’ll be following up with a full review soon. We’ve also been spending time with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL as well.