Face Unlock on the Pixel 8 Series can now work with payments and banking apps

Google is bringing Face Unlock to more apps on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. This feature, which was previously only available for unlocking the device, will now be able to be used for Google Pay, banking, and other app sign-ins.

This is an impressive upgrade from the Pixel 7, and it’s made possible by the Tensor G3 chip and advanced machine learning algorithms. Previously, Google had not been able to achieve Class 3 biometric classification without the addition of a LiDAR sensor, but this has now changed.

Google says that Face Unlock on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro is more secure than ever before. Thanks to the Tensor G3 chip and advanced machine learning algorithms, Face Unlock now meets the highest Android biometric standard.

This will be a plus for Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users, as previous Pixel models — save for the Pixel 4, which included dedicated hardware such as the IR camera and more — did not have this feature available. Having to go through an additional authentication using your fingerprint was a necessary evil when making payments, which I imagine will also be the case when using your face instead. Regardless, it is a step in the right direction when it comes to adding convenience to the consumer without sacrificing security.