The hardware that allows the iPhone 8's rumored facial recognition capability could consist of a "revolutionary" new camera system for its front-facing camera.

The camera module that exists in current iPhones will be augmented by a pair of depth-sensing infrared modules, according to a report at MacRumors that cites an analyst with a solid track record in making such predictions. The sensors would allow the phone to find the location and depth of objects, such as a user's face, placed in front of it.

The report comes after related rumors of Apple augmenting or ditching its TouchID fingerprint scanner in favor of iris and/or facial recognition technology, fueled by its reported acquisition of Israeli facial recognition startup RealFace. Samsung's Galaxy Note 7, yep, that Galaxy Note 7, was among the first phones to come equipped with an iris scanner.

Said to be more secure than fingerprint recognition, facial or iris scans could be the iPhone 8's signature security feature, and perhaps speed adoption of Apple Pay. Whether users will want to scan their faces before every transaction remains to be seen.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.