Apple to allow you unlock your iPhone with the mask on

iPhone users (iPhone X and above) only have Face ID as an option to unlock their smartphones. This has proven to be quite tricky during the pandemic where we have to enter the passcode to unlock the iPhone continually. Apple could offer a solution to that with the upcoming iOS 14.5 update.

In the iOS 14.5 developer beta detected by Pocket-Lint, Apple will give you the option to unlock your iPhone with your skin as long as you have an Apple Watch. Once you place your iPhone to unlock it, you will receive haptic feedback on your Apple Watch indicating that the iPhone has been unlocked. Both your iPhone and Apple Watch will need to be close for this to work.

Apple will still require you to enter your passcode every few hours, even when the feature is in use, The Verge reported. Your Apple Watch will also need to be unlocked for the feature to work. This is not something Apple is introducing as it is similar to the unlocking feature of the Mac's Apple Watch.

Apart from unlocking your iPhone, this Apple Watch feature will also work for Apple Pay. But for App Store, iTunes Store, and Safari password autocomplete, you will still need to enter your password. This makes sense as purchases, and confidential information can be at risk without proper authentication.

This new feature will be beneficial only for iPhone users with an Apple Watch, but it is still a convenient option as we unlock our iPhones several times throughout the day. Apple plans to release iOS 14.5 in early spring.