Apple: Face ID didn't fail at iPhone X launch, our staff did

Company says too many people tried to use Face ID on device backstage before its unveiling, highlighting a potential problem for prospective buyers

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Apple has offered an explanation for an embarrassing glitch at the launch of its most expensive iPhone ever, arguing that the phone didn't make an error - the company's staff did.

During the first ever public demonstration of the 999/1,149 iPhone X, Apple executive Craig Federighi attempted to unlock the device using the company's new Face ID feature, which scans a user's face to ensure only they can unlock their phones. But the feature failed, bumping Federighi to an old-fashioned passcode entry screen and forcing him to switch to a backup phone.