I'm comfortable with Apple implementing biometric authentication, for convenience, because I trust them to let me retain control over my data. FaceID data doesn't leave the secure enclave.
The For Convenience part is essential: FaceID is a liability to security. It improves usability of the security, which means people will actually use it, but it does not improve the security itself.
It does mean that you can use a longer passcode (encryption key) because you only need to enter it on reboot and after enough negatives. (You can also squeeze both top buttons to disable FaceID)
> because I trust them to let me retain control over my data.
Don't. Any corporation is an unaccountable leadership change away from a total 180 on privacy, and they absolutely will do it if they start to miss their growth targets consistently.
Sure. I won't buy an iPhone without first understanding how it handles my biometrics.
Right now they are trustworthy, and I'm happy to hand them my money and use FaceID.
Though I'm an optimist in general; I do expect morality of Apple as a corporation. They have shortcomings there, particularly around iCloud backups and China.
I wouldn't say I'm naive, I research this stuff a lot, and Apple in particular is a different breed than the likes of Microsoft. Microsoft being a distinctly amoral corporation like a lot of others, as evidenced by not being able to do an offline install of Windows 10 after you've taught it your wifi password (you have to turn off your router or take the computer out of range). Amazon is an example of an even more fucked up corporate organism.
Capitalism has morphed into something awful after we stopped expecting morality. I think your pessimism is useless, and serves as an indulgence.
Please don't take my previous comment as some kind of indictment. I appreciate you being conscientious about your decision.
> I think your pessimism is useless, and serves as an indulgence.
Nah, it's a defense mechanism, and a simplification of my life. One less thing to worry about. I got enough things to worry about, so this actually saves me mental load and reduces the number of dependencies in life.
> Apple in particular is a different breed than the likes of Microsoft
They are publicly traded companies and if the value in the data can be legally leveraged, it will be done at some point. The same happened with Google. I think you are just influenced by their marketing, which is admittedly pretty good.
I think expectations towards any morality are shaped by experience. But in any case, why should I make myself dependent on Apples morality? Personally I wouldn't do that for convenience. FaceID just doesn't solve any problems I have.
FaceID let's me use a numeric passcode that takes >5 seconds to input without it being a sacrifice to daily life.
To be clear, Apple does not give itself access to the biometric data. I'm not trusting them with it, I'm trusting them not to take it.
And yes, there exist companies that don't try to eke out every bit of information possible about you. Google was doomed from the start because of their business model. Microsoft can start respecting users any time, they're choosing not to. It's good business to, I don't give a damn what the stock market says today.
The For Convenience part is essential: FaceID is a liability to security. It improves usability of the security, which means people will actually use it, but it does not improve the security itself.
It does mean that you can use a longer passcode (encryption key) because you only need to enter it on reboot and after enough negatives. (You can also squeeze both top buttons to disable FaceID)