Google says it will update the Pixel 4 “in the coming months” with an option that requires open eyes for the phone's face unlock to be successful

In the meanwhile, learn how to use the lockdown feature — One of the headline features for the Google Pixel 4 is that it adds a new …

The Verge 2019-10-21 Dieter Bohn

Context & Ripple Effects

This promise lands three days after the BBC's report that Google confirmed the Pixel 4's Face Unlock can grant access even when a user's eyes are closed — an admission that turned a headline launch feature into a security liability within days of shipping.

The fix is also a software patch over how the feature was built: Google had earlier disclosed paying people $5 to scan their faces to improve accuracy, and the open-eyes toggle effectively asks users to trade some of that accuracy back for safety until the update arrives.

First-order effects

Pixel 4 owners are told to use the phone's lockdown feature as the interim safeguard while they wait months for the open-eyes setting to ship.

Second-order effects

Once delivered, the toggle puts the burden of choice on users — and Google's own follow-up making open-eyes detection the default in April 2020 shows the opt-in framing did not hold, forcing a second change cycle.

Third-order effects

Biometric defaults become a post-launch reputational battleground for phones: features rushed to launch specs now get re-litigated publicly, pushing vendors toward conservative security defaults and heavier pre-launch scrutiny of training data like the paid face-scan collection.

The trend: Phone makers are moving from convenience-first biometric launches to security-first defaults, with public disclosures forcing mid-cycle reversals rather than design-time fixes.

Discussion

@glytchtech Glytch on x
in other words, ignore the problem until the news cycle forgets about it and then carry on as is https://twitter.com/...
@raywongy Raymond Wong on x
Good. But how did engineers fuck this up in the first place? https://twitter.com/...
@_am1t Amit Gawande on x
All it took was to look around and check what the competition provided. They should have done this before launching the device - not get caught by surprise. This is not some edge case. It was must-have right from day one. https://twitter.com/...
@1obefiend Effi Saharudin on x
This is PIXEL. Apple would probably patch this in 3 days. Really shambolic https://twitter.com/...
@andrewmartonik Andrew Martonik on x
The Pixel 4 XL is easily Google's best-ever phone. I love using it, and it isn't riddled with basic failures and shortcomings. But my word, the battery life is horrible. And it's hard not to feel overcharged paying $900 for 6GB RAM / 64GB storage. https://www.androidcentral.com/ …
@summerson Cammibal Lecter on x
I would argue that “the most important things about it can't be found on a spec sheet” is so true for most modern tech. That's why actually using things is so important. The experience is everything. https://twitter.com/...
@journeydan Daniel Bader on x
The Pixel 4 is a fantastic phone completely undermined by its terrible battery life. It's also the first Pixel I can't recommend https://www.androidcentral.com/ ...
@reckless Nilay Patel on x
You can't even use the Pixel 4 unless you agree to five mandatory agreements, including binding arbitration with a buried opt-out. https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@journeydan Daniel Bader on x
Motion Sense is a gimmick right now, but the tech is sound. Face unlock is fast — faster than Face ID even, though less secure — and apps that work with it are 100x more convenient. But only five apps support face unlock right now 😅
@journeydan Daniel Bader on x
So if you're looking to buy a Pixel this year, get the larger Pixel 4 XL because at least it'll last the day https://www.androidcentral.com/ ...
@reckless Nilay Patel on x
Here's @backlon's Pixel 4 review! It is a near-perfect Android experience, marred by a less-secure face unlock, a too-small battery in the small one, and that missing ultrawide lens https://www.theverge.com/...
@androidcentral @androidcentral on x
The smaller Pixel 4 is a fantastic phone that's completely undermined by its terrible battery life 🔋 This is the first Pixel we just can't recommend 😓 https://www.androidcentral.com/ ...
@androidcentral @androidcentral on x
Google Pixel 4 XL review: 📱 excellent hardware and 90Hz display 📷 the best camera you can get today 💡 fast, consistent and helpful software 🔋 terrible battery life, once again 🔒 great face unlock with almost no app support https://www.androidcentral.com/ ...
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
Here's my review of the Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL. My takeaway is that the most important things about it can't be found on a spec sheet. https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...

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