Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

iPhone X users can now use Face ID to make purchases on eBay

By

Ebay Charity App
2nix Studio/Shutterstock
Shopping just got a little easier for iPhone X users. This morning, eBay announced it now supports Face ID for purchases on its IOS app. The announcement makes eBay the first third-party app to allow Face ID to authenticate purchases.

Introduced on the iPhone X, Face ID uses facial mapping technology to authenticate users. Face ID uses a series of infrared dots to create a 3-D model of the the user’s face. This model is is then compared to data stored on the user’s iPhone X to unlock the phone and make purchases.

Recommended Videos

Apple reports that Face ID is more secure than Touch ID technology used on older iPhone models. It reports that while Touch ID has a false positive ratio of 50,000:1, the likelihood of a false positive authentication with Face ID is one in a million. While there have already been reports of false positives with the iPhone X, the technology is much more accurate than similar technology offered on the Samsung Galaxy and other Android phones.

eBay began developing its newest app shortly after Apple announced the iPhone X in September. To ensure the technology was available for the holiday shopping season, the company used simulation software for development and testing while awaiting the release of the iPhone X to the public. Once the devices became available, eBay did a final round of testing on the new phone to ensure everything worked properly.

While eBay may be the first third-party app to offer purchases via Face ID, expect to see other retailers following suit in the near future. The improved security of Face ID, and relative ease of setup for apps currently using Touch ID to authenticate purchases, makes integration a very attractive option for retailers who are seeing an increasing number of sales come from mobile websites and apps.

eBay is one of the world’s largest online retailers, with operations in over 30 countries. It currently has 168 million active buyers on its sites, with over half of its revenue coming from outside the U.S.. Each week more than 12 million listings are added via eBay mobile apps, and more than 60 percent of its sales are conducted through its mobile sites and apps.

eBay’s new app with Face ID integration is now available for users worldwide in the iOS app store.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Steven Winkelman
Steven Winkelman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven writes about technology, social practice, and books. At Digital Trends, he focuses primarily on mobile and wearables…
Something important just happened to the iPhone 16 series
iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max larger displays.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max renders MacRumors

With  the calendar about to turn to June, attention on the upcoming iPhone 16 series will soon shift into an even higher gear. Along those lines, word is that production on a critical component for at least three of these phones is about to begin.

Read more
Can a $500 Pixel phone beat a $1,000 iPhone in a camera test? I found out
iPhone 15 Pro (left) and Google Pixel 8a camera modules.

Right before Google I/O 2024, Google showed off the latest Pixel device, the Google Pixel 8a. This is the latest offering from the Pixel A-series, which is a more budget-friendly Pixel for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of the flagship Pixel 8 or 8 Pro.

The Pixel 8a features a new design with more rounded corners and a matte-finish back. It packs Google’s latest silicon, the Tensor G3, but the camera hardware remains unchanged from its predecessor, the Pixel 7a.

Read more
Arc Search, one of the best iPhone apps right now, just got even better
Arc Search's Call Arc feature.

One of our favorite iPhone browser apps has just introduced an interesting new feature. Arc Search’s new "Call Arc" tool functions similarly to making a phone call on your iPhone 15 Pro or other iPhone. Instead of speaking to someone on the other end of the line, though, you ask Arc to answer your queries. The outcome is fresh and unique, and it actually works really well.

Before its latest software update, Arc Search already offered a voice search feature. The AI-powered Call Arc is different and designed for people on the go who are looking for quick answers to short questions.

Read more