Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Face Unlock Feature

With the Android 4.0 announcement in Hong Kong we have seen many new features that will make us run out and grab the Galaxy Nexus. One of these features worth mentioning is the “Face Unlock” feature. Photo Above thanks to Engadget.

What “facial Unlock” does in ICS is allow you to unlock your device using facial recognition instead of always having to toy a password to secure and unlock your device. Its not a new idea but it is the first time we’ve seen this used in this fashion on an Android device.

There were a few issues when being used at the keynote in Hong Kong although we can assume this was just a small issue that will be fixed soon (if an issue at all). At the keynote Google’s Matias Duarte was locked out of his device :).

UPDATE: While the face unlock feature is a cool little novelty it hasn’t taken off as we had all expected and has been lost in the vast features of Android as just another normal feature.  We played with it a bit but when trying to get our phone out for a picture or quickly do something it was more of an annoyance than a useful feature.  When your in low lighting or even outside on a very bright day the device would have issues detecting us and in turn just frustrate us.  This being said it truly did impress our friends walking around with iPhones as they want what they can’t have and that is truly a case with Face Unlock.

Let us know what you think of the feature and if you actually use it on a daily basis as your security type.  We would be interested to hear others experience and the difference in detection based on devices.