Cheaper Face Unlock Tech Heading to Mid-Range Android Phones in 2026

Metalenz and United Microelectronics are partnering to bring Polar ID, a face recognition system that uses light polarization instead of infrared hardware, to mid-tier Android devices by 2026. The single-camera approach cuts costs and complexity. Processing happens on-device via Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, removing cloud dependency. The move could finally bring facial unlock beyond premium phones.