The Galaxy J7 Max was found to feature facial recognition support, as reported by some owners of Samsung’s new mid-range smartphone. Even though the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) didn’t advertise this particular functionality during the phone’s launch event that took place in mid-June, the handset is now confirmed to support it out of the box. The system itself isn’t meant to be a secure alternative to PINs, passwords, and other methods of verifying one’s identity, but was instead designed as a quick authentication technique aimed at people who aren’t worried about the security of their smartphone and just want a quick way to unlock it while preventing anyone else from doing the same with no effort. Still, Samsung’s facial recognition utilizes only the front-facing camera of the Galaxy J7 Max, meaning it can reliably be spoofed with just a picture of the phone’s owner and could possibly even be tricked by someone who looks somewhat similar to them.
The same system already debuted on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus that launched in late March, with Samsung specifically stating that this method is the least secure out of all offered by its latest flagship lineup. The functionality will likely also be supported by the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 that’s rumored to be unveiled in either late August or early September, with Samsung being expected to attach an identical disclaimer to it. According to the company’s recent statement, its future product strategy will put a larger focus on differentiating its entry-level and mid-range offerings from their competitors through both hardware and software and while facial recognition isn’t a particularly secure mechanism, it’s still a somewhat unique offering in this market segment. Due to that state of affairs, Samsung is expected to add the said feature to more of its upcoming devices, in addition to shipping them with other unique characteristics like waterproofing.
The Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer just launched the Galaxy Note Fan Edition in its home country but is otherwise having a relatively quiet period in terms of major product launches, with the company currently being in the process of preparing for the release of the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 8. More details on its hardware endeavors should follow shortly.