Google's 'Project Toscana' to Upgrade Face Unlock System on Pixel Phones, Chromebooks: Report

Google Pixel smartphones offer both fingerprint scanning and face unlock capabilities, but the company now appears to be working on taking facial authentication to the next level. Google is reportedly developing an advanced face unlock system known as “Project Toscana” for future Pixel smartphones and Chromebooks. The upcoming feature is said to offer performance on par with Face ID available on Apple's iPhone models. The Project Toscana is said to be designed to work efficiently in low lighting conditions, using infrared (IR) technology.

Google's Advanced Face Unlock System: What We Know So Far

Android Authority, citing an anonymous source, reports that Google is developing an advanced facial recognition feature code named “Project Toscana” for its Pixel handsets and Chromebooks. The company reportedly tested this hardware upgrade in Mountain View, with UX testers on a Pixel phone featuring a single hole-punch camera cutout and on two Chromebooks with external cameras.

Google said to have tested the feature in different lighting conditions, and the Project Toscana reportedly "worked just as quickly as Face ID on the iPhone". It is not confirmed which technology Google is using for Project Toscana, but the report suggests that it could use infrared sensors.

The new setup is likely to offer a significant upgrade over the current face unlock setup available on the Google Pixel devices. This aligns with previous rumours.

Google used a combination of radar sensors with IR cameras to enable secure 3D face authentication on Pixel 4. The company introduced an improved face unlock feature with the Pixel 7 that works with the front-facing camera, but it couldn't authenticate payments.

The Pixel 8 and newer models offer a more capable face unlock system that supports Google Pay, banking apps and others, but this system has performance issues in low-light conditions. Google's Project Toscana is expected to address these shortcomings by providing efficient face unlock in all lighting environments.

The new Pixel 11 is likely to debut the new technology. The Chromebooks might get it later this year. We can expect Google to make announcements regarding this at its Google I/O. The event is confirmed to take place on May 19 and May 20.