iPhone 13 ‘Unlock With Apple Watch’ Issue to Be Fixed, Third-Party Apps Currently Capped at 60Hz

A separate video shows that iPhone 13 screen replacement via a third party service may cause the user to lose Face ID support.

By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 27 September 2021 19:02 IST

iPhone 13 ‘Unlock With Apple Watch’ Issue to Be Fixed, Third-Party Apps Currently Capped at 60Hz

iPhone 13 users are recommended to switch off Unlock with Apple Watch feature till a fix is rolled out

Highlights

iPhone 13 Pro comes with up to 120Hz display refresh rate
Apple says Unlock with Apple Watch problem is a software issue
Video shows how iPhone 13 screen replacements may damage Face ID

iPhone 13 series shipping began a few days ago in several regions and early adopters have already started reporting issues. There is apparently an issue with the Unlock with Apple Watch feature on iPhone 13 units and iPhone 13 Pro units are capping third-party animations at 60Hz. The latter issue exists even though the Pro models come with up to 120Hz refresh rate support. There is also a video that has surfaced showing how iPhone 13's screen repair via a third-party repair centre causes Face ID to stop working.

Apple has taken to its support page to issue a statement about possible problems that users may face while using the Unlock with Apple Watch feature on the iPhone 13. The company says that it is aware of the issue and is looking to fix it in an upcoming software update. Some users may see an error that reads, ‘Unable to Communicate with Apple Watch' if they try to unlock their iPhone while wearing a face mask, or they might not be able to set up Unlock with Apple Watch.

Apple advises users to turn off ‘Unlock with Apple Watch' for now and use the passcode method to unlock the iPhone 13 till the software update is rolled out. To turn off Unlock with Apple Watch, go to Settings > Face ID and Passcode.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini First Impressions

9to5Mac reports that iPhone 13 Pro's ProMotion screen cannot exceed 60Hz refresh rate while on several third-party apps. While standard animations and scrolling interactions are automatically scaled up to 120Hz, Apple has reportedly confirmed that third-party developers will have to add a custom code to take full advantage of the 120Hz display on the Pro model. Apple told the publication that developers will need to add a new Info.plist key to opt-in, and documentation regarding that will be published soon. Apple claims that this third-party app opt-in process has been introduced for battery life reasons.

There is also a video released by Phone Repair Guru that shows how Face ID stops working if the screen of the iPhone 13 is replaced through a third-party service. The YouTuber shows that when you replace the iPhone 13 microphone, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor, nothing goes wrong. However, when you replace the iPhone 13 screen with a new one, the phone will recognise the change and show a message that the user has lost Face ID support. The blogger tries to reset Face ID settings as well, but the iPhone 13 throws an error that Face ID is not available.

This week on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, we discuss iPhone 13, new iPad and iPad mini, and Apple Watch Series 7 — and what they mean to the Indian market. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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iPhone 13

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Great performance
Versatile cameras
Sharp, bright display
Good battery life

Bad
Standard display refresh rate, intrusive notch
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 13 review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 15

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 13 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Bright, crisp 120Hz display
Excellent construction quality
Good battery life
Great overall performance
Versatile cameras

Bad
Extremely expensive
Bulky and heavy
Display notch in 2021

Read detailed Apple iPhone 13 Pro review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Battery Capacity 3095mAh

OS iOS 15

Resolution 1170x2523 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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