Can the Galaxy S8 be unlocked with a PHOTO? Video shows a selfie can bypass Samsung's facial recognition technology

Video reveals a flaw in the Samsung Galaxy S8 facial recognition technology
User held up a selfie on another phone in front of the S8 front-facing camera
In seconds, the facial technology feature was bypassed

Published: 18:23 EDT, 31 March 2017 | Updated: 18:37 EDT, 31 March 2017

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It was meant be Samsung's 'saving grace', but the Galaxy S8 has already caused Android users to worry.

An early reviewer discovered a flaw in the facial recognition feature, which lets users unlock the smartphone by looking at the front-facing 'with lighting capabilities'.

It was found that the technology can be easily bypassed by holding up a photo displayed on another handset - instead of the user's real face.

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An early reviewer discovered a flaw in the facial recognition feature, which lets users unlock the smartphone by looking at the front-facing 'with lighting capabilities'. It was found that the technology can be easily bypassed by holding up a photo displayed on another handset

SAMSUNG GALAXY S8

- Two new models are being released, the 5.8-inch S8 and the 6.2-inch S8+

- A pressure sensitive home button is fitted under the lower portion of the screen

- The device's fingerprint scanner has been relocated at the rear of the phone

- Face tracking technology allows you to unlock the screen by looking into the front camera

- The main camera has been enhanced by multi-frame image processing, which takes three images at once

The facial recognition in the smartphone has proved to have lightening quick capabilities and the facial tracking features are able to instantly recognize the users face – the process seems to be much faster than fingerprint recognition.

But the latest development has suggested that Samsung may have traded security for convenience.

Blogger Marcianophone setup a S8 handset with his face at the Unpacked event, which unveiled the new Android, and in seconds, revealed how simple it was to trick the facial recognition technology with just a selfie.

This also means that it would be possible to use the face of a user who is sleeping.

Forbes has noted that because the smartphone was at the unveiling it may not be running on the final software meant to hit the market.

Regardless, this mishap is making some users weary about how secure the phone is, which is the last thing Samsung might want hear– the Galaxy S8 was meant to help the firm's reputation, not tarnish even more.

The South Korean firm has acknowledged the flaw and explained that the facial recognition technology was not meant to be a security feature.

However, it did say that it serves as another way to get to the Home screen- as opposed to Slide to Lock.

Blogger Marcianophone (pictured) setup a S8 handset with his face at the Unpacked event, which unveiled the new Android, and in seconds, revealed how simple it was to trick the facial recognition technology with just a selfie (pictured)

'Facial recognition is a convenient action to open your phone – similar to the 'swipe to unlock' action,' said a Samsung spokesperson in a statement sent to Business Insider.

'We offer the highest level of biometric authentication – fingerprint and iris – to lock your phone and authenticate access to Samsung Pay or Secure Folder.'

The South Korean firm has acknowledged the flaw and explained that the facial recognition technology was not meant to be a security feature. However, it did say that it serves as another way to get to the Home screen- as opposed to Slide to Lock.

Samsung has also announced that users who plan on using the facial recognition technology should considering using fingerprints or iris scanners instead, as these two are not as easily tricked.

The firm hopes that the phone will help it make a comeback after its Note 7 exploding phone fiasco last year, which cost it $3 billion (£2.4 million) in lost profit.

However, it seems that the phone has not gotten off on the right foot and only time will tell if it will make or break Samsung.