New York’s Mass Transit Agency (MTA) wants Apple to come up with a better way for iPhone users to unlock their iPhones without taking off their masks, which are required to be worn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to CEO Tim Cook obtained by The Associated Press, MTA Chairman Patrick Foye said riders have been seen removing their masks to unlock the smartphones using face-recognition technology, despite a recent update by Apple that simplifies the unlock process for people wearing masks .
iOS 13.5, released in May, automatically presents the passcode field after a user swipes up from the bottom of the lock screen. Also, Apple Pay Express Transit, introduced last year, allows riders on some bus and subway lines to pay with their iPhone or Apple Watch without having to wake the device.
“We understand Apple is working to address the issue and know that Apple has a range of technologies at its disposal as a global leader among tech companies,” Foye wrote in the letter obtained by The Associated Press. “We urge Apple to accelerate the deployment of new technologies and solutions that further protect customers in the era of COVID-19.”
Foye said the MTA would be willing to collaborate with Apple on messaging to make sure users know about the recent iPhone modification.
