Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Apple
  4. Mobile
  5. News

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

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

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.

Steven Winkelman
Steven Winkelman
Former Staff Writer, Mobile
Steven writes about technology, social practice, and books. At Digital Trends, he focuses primarily on mobile and wearables…
Topics
The Minimal Phone 2 looks dramatically better than the original, and I’m genuinely here for it
Plastic is out, metal is in, and Minimal Phone 2's renders suggest the digital detox phone concept finally has the hardware to match its ambition.
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

I've been following the Minimal Phone since its initial crowdfunding days. The first iteration had the right idea trapped inside the wrong body, I’d say. Plastic build, no 5G, an underwhelming camera, and e-paper ghosting that frustrated early adopters; all these issues kept the phone from reaching a wider audience. 

Now, founder Armen Youssefian has posted what appears to be a 360-degree render of the Minimal Phone 2 on X, and from what I can see, the team has done its homework.

Read more
The EU says TikTok still isn’t doing enough to protect kids
Regulators say the platform's privacy settings don't go far enough under the Digital Services Act.
TikTok Creative Featured

The European Commission has accused TikTok of falling short on protecting minors, saying the platform's current account settings don't meet the child safety standards required under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The findings are preliminary, but if upheld, TikTok could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

Why the EU thinks TikTok isn't doing enough

Read more
Qualcomm is set to ratchet up chip prices in September, and your next gadget upgrade could bear the brunt
The price hike could touch every Snapdragon-powered device category.
The new Qualcomm Snadragon 8 Elite Gen 5

I want you to sit with this for a second. Qualcomm, the company whose Snapdragon chips sit inside your Android phone and tablet, your Windows laptop, your Meta smart glasses, your Galaxy Watch, and your wireless earbuds, reportedly sent a letter to every major customer telling them prices are going up by double digits. 

The price hike will be in effect from September 1, 2026, a recent Bloomberg report claims. Essentially, all the companies placing their chip orders after that will pay a higher price. 

Read more