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Google is secretly working on facial recognition for Pixel 6 Pro

Luisa Rey

There are indications that Google wants to roll out facial recognition for the Pixel 6 Pro. When setting up a new phone, that option suddenly appeared for a user, but afterwards facial recognition was no longer visible in the settings.

Pixel 6 Pro Facial Recognition

Google seems to be quietly working on facial recognition for its most powerful Pixel phone. The feature has suddenly surfaced with a new Pixel 6 Pro owner writing about it on the social news app Reddit. At one point, when setting up his phone, he had to choose a screen unlock method. The following selection options appeared:

  • Pattern – Face – Fingerprint
  • PIN – Face – Fingerprint
  • Password – Face – Fingerprint

The only biometric unlocking method on the Pixel 6 series right now is the phone’s fingerprint scanner that sits below the display. The Reddit user in question chose not to use facial recognition, and when he looked at screen lock in his Pixel 6 Pro’s settings afterwards, the option was no longer there either.

9To5Google has now discovered in the code of Android 12 that the option to activate facial recognition when setting up a new phone was always present. Only the option has never been activated by Google. There have been indications for some time that Google is working on facial recognition for its Pixel 6 Pro and the feature has also appeared in press images of the phone that have since been removed online by Google.

Facial recognition was already visible in the settings in this press image

selfie camera

The facial recognition is expected to only work for the Pixel 6 Pro. It’s the first time Google has made facial recognition available on a phone again since the Pixel 4 XL that focused heavily on this feature. Unlike the Pixel 4 XL, the Pixel 6 Pro works without infrared scanners and a solichip that makes facial recognition more secure. The phone only uses its selfie camera to identify your face.

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Google Pixel 6 Pro