Does The iPad Air 5 Have Face ID? Here's Everything You Need To Know
Face ID is prevalent across most iPhones and the iPad Pro series, but is Apple's face unlock system also on the iPad Air 5? There's a lot about the iPad Air 5 that's easy to like. This latest entry in the iPad Air family has an M1 processor, a new front-facing camera with Apple's popular Center Stage feature, 5G connectivity, and comes in five gorgeous colors. You get all of for a starting price of just $599, making the iPad Air 5 just as good of a value as it is powerful.
All of that's great, but there's one feature we haven't touched on yet: security. If you're spending a decent amount of money on a phone or tablet in 2022, there's no reason that it shouldn't have some form of biometric security. Apple implements this in one of two ways on its devices. Its lower-cost products (such as the baseline iPad and iPhone SE) have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. More expensive gadgets (like the iPad Pro and iPhone 13) have Face ID facial recognition.
At first glance, it'd be easy to assume that the iPad Air 5 falls into the Face ID camp. It has a modern design with slim bezels, a powerful front-facing camera, and a relatively high $599 price tag. Despite all of that, the iPad Air 5 does not have Face ID. In fact, the only iPad with Face ID is the iPad Pro. Just like the regular iPad and iPad mini, the iPad Air 5 ditches Face ID in favor of Touch ID.
Why no Face ID for the iPad Air 5? Apple doesn't offer an official reason, but it's more than likely a cost-cutting decision. While the iPad Air 5 has an incredible processor, display, and design, it's still very much a mid-range entry in the iPad family. And because of that, Apple had to cut a few corners. That's not to say Touch ID is bad. Instead, Touch ID is actually very good. It's easy to use, responsive, and arguably more useful in a world where some people still wear masks out in public. But Touch ID is also much cheaper than Face ID. Touch ID simply means integrating a fingerprint sensor somewhere on the device. If Apple wanted to add Face ID to the iPad Air 5, it would have to incorporate an infrared camera, flood illuminator, and a dot projector — all into the iPad Air 5's slim bezels. It's not an impossible feat, but adding Face ID to the iPad Air 5 would also mean increasing its $599 MSRP.
As for how you use Touch ID on the iPad Air 5, it's about as self-explanatory as it gets. Since there's no home button on the iPad Air 5, the Touch ID sensor is built into the tablet's power button. When you want to unlock the screen, open a banking app, or approve an Apple Pay purchase, place your finger on the power button to confirm that action. That's all there is to it! It may not be quite as seamless as Face ID, but it keeps the iPad Air 5 as safe and secure as you could ask for. And at the end of the day, that's all that matters.
Source: Apple
Source: Screenrant
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