Apple is set to get rid of passwords on its products from next month, it has been reported.
It is believed the tech giant will introduce password-less logins from September when iOS 16 launches alongside the rumoured iPhone 14 and macOS Ventura for Mac.
Instead of logging into a website using a password, users will now be asked for a Passkey - a digital key you don’t have to remember and is authenticated using your fingerprint (Touch ID) or face (Face ID) on an iPhone or Mac.
The new security process means Apple users have a login that simply can't be guessed or leaked and is just as quick to login.
The Passkeys are stored on users’ devices but will sync across multiple gadgets using Apple's iCloud Keychain, which already exists to track passwords.
Notably, these digital keys can’t be read by anyone, not even Apple, which means users won’t fall foul to phishing attacks or data breaches as there’s no information to hand across.
Eventually, Apple’s goal to is have Passkeys work in conjunction with non-Apple devices too, such as Windows laptops and Android phones.
Notably both Microsoft and Google have both been developing password-less systems in recent years, yet it appears Apple may be the first off the block.
Reportedly, the new iOS 16 will go live in September after the major change was announced in June at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference to coincide with their new launches.
Apple’s vice president of internet technologies, Darin Adler, described Passkeys at WWDC as a 'next-gen credential that’s more secure, easier to use, and aims to replace passwords for good'.
Adding: “With the passkey, you’ll be able to walk up to a non-Apple device, and sign-in to a website or app using just your iPhone. We look forward to a passwordless future.”
Elsewhere, we reported in June how Apple was being forced to change the charging cables used for iPhones under a new court ruling issued by the European Union.
Anyone who's ever switched between Apple and Android will be all too familiar with the frustration of trying to remember which cables fit which device, with the newer Apple phones requiring a different charger to some Apple laptops, which themselves use the same cables as many Android devices.
In a bid to simplify the charging process, the EU has announced all new phones and tablets must use the same charging ports within two years.
UNILAD has contacted Apple for comment.
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