Apple Follows Google's Lead Toward Password-Free Future With This iOS 17 API

In an unexpected move at this year’s WWDC, Apple Inc. AAPL introduced a passkey API for iOS 17. Now, password manager 1Password has shared a sneak peek of what passkeys will look like in iOS. 

What Happened: During Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, the tech giant left developers pleasantly surprised by unveiling a Passkey API for the upcoming iOS 17. 

See Also: Apple Unveils iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 At WWDC 2023: Introduces New ‘Standby’ Mode And More

With the Passkey API, password manager 1Password, among others, can create and utilize passkeys within any native app that supports this new feature, including Safari. This development promises a more seamless and secure user experience, replacing traditional passwords with passkeys.

On Thursday, 1Password shared a sneak peek at how users could use passkeys to sign in to websites and supported apps on their iPhones and iPads. The video hints at users being able to use Apple Face ID to log in and access apps and websites instead of feeding in passwords. 

For the unversed, passkeys represent a novel form of login credentials that completely replace traditional passwords. Unlike passwords, passkeys eliminate the need for memorization, eradicate the concept of “weak” credentials, and offer protection against data breaches. 

Moreover, passkeys significantly expedite the login process for online accounts, as research shows that passkey logins are twice as fast as password-based logins.

Why It’s Important: Last month, Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL Google commenced the rollout of passkey support across major platforms, offering users an alternative login option alongside passwords and two-step verification (2SV). 

It is pertinent to note that Last year, Apple, Microsoft Corporation MSFT and Google came together to support a new sign-in standard by the FIDO Alliance. 

At the time, the open industry association emphasized that this approach would shield users from falling prey to phishing attempts, significantly enhancing the security of the sign-in process. 

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