Oliver Haslam on April 30, 2020, 3:28 am

iOS 13.5 Includes A Tweak To Skip Face ID If Someone Is Wearing A Mask

Apple has today made the latest beta 3 build of iOS 13.5 available to developers with the new coronavirus contact tracing API built in. But there’s a change that will improve life for those who wear face masks, too. And it’s a small yet important tweak.

More and more people are wearing face masks all the time now thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and it’s obviously a problem when it comes to using Face ID. Now iOS 13.5 beta 3 has a tweak to deal with that by skipping the Face ID screen if someone is wearing a face mask.

In that case the iPhone will automatically switch to offering a passcode entry screen. And while this might not sound like such a huge change, it’s one that is important for those who wear masks all day and have to unlock devices multiple times. The more they use their device, the more important the tweak becomes.

This new change also brings the coronavirus contact tracing API, with Apple adding new notification options in the Settings app as spotted by 9to5Mac.

iPhone is using Bluetooth to securely share your random IDs with nearby devices and collect their IDs. This enables an app to notify you if you may have been exposed to COVID-19. Random IDs are deleted after 14 days.

Apps you authorize can notify you if you’re exposed to COVID-19. You can also choose to anonymously share your COVID-19 diagnosis.

While the API is now present, users will need to install an app from their local health authority in order to take advantage of it.