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

Steven Winkelman
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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.

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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.

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