The upcoming Pixelbook 2 looks set to get the new Face unlock feature that Google confirmed would be coming to the Pixel 4.
Chrome OS seems to include a big hint that Google’s new Face unlock will be coming to future Chromebook devices – with the Pixelbook 2 expected to be the first one.
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According to Chrome Unboxed, a commit included in the Chromium repositories is a clear indication face unlock technology is being “aggressively worked on” for new Chromebooks. The commit reads:
“FROMLIST: dts: arm64: mt8183: Add FD nodes
“This patch adds nodes for Face Detection (FD) unit. FD is embedded in Mediatek SoCs and works with the co-processor to perform face detection on the input data and image and output detected face result.”
Other commits within the Chromium Repositories also included references to face detection being added to Chrome OS.
Pixel 4 is confirmed to be getting the technology and – while it would make sense for the feature to make its way to Chrome OS – face detection can be achieved by simpler but less secure means than what will be featured on Google’s new phone.
Another commit references an Intel-based device named ‘Atlas’ – expected to be the Pixelbook 2. The commit hints at the addition of Intel’s Photography Vision Library which is another indication of facial recognition technology on the device.
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The Pixel 4 Face unlock feature was revealed earlier this week when Google dropped a surprise video. The video showed the implementation of the technology which looks very similar to Apple’s Face ID.
If the Pixelbook 2 was to match the technology exactly, you can expect to see a ton of sensors above the laptop screen. The Pixel 4 features a long list of sensors: Face unlock IR camera, a front-facing camera, an Ambient Light/Proximity sensor, Soli radar chip, Face unlock Dot Projector, another Face unlock IR Camera and a Face unlock Flood Illuminator.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.