We've all been there. Faced with the login page of an app or site, we repeatedly enter what must certainly be the right login and password, only to receive the dreaded (and annoying) response, "user and password combination not recognized."
The frequency of this situation has only increased as the number of applications and sites requiring log-in credentials skyrocketed in recent years. Some people make use of the same username and password for multiple sites or use easy-to-remember passwords (like 1234), practices cybersecurity experts strenuously advise against.
Apple (AAPL 0.02%) wants to eliminate the entire process and has a solution that's set to be released with its soon-to-be-released software update. The iPhone maker is known for simple and elegant answers to problems users didn't even know they had, but can the company finally solve a problem that has plagued internet users for years?
Image source: Apple.
One and done
Earlier this month, at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple revealed plans to change the entire identity verification process. With its upcoming software update -- iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma -- Apple will debut a new passkey feature.
In short, the system will work like this: Each time an iPhone (or Mac) user is prompted to log in to a website or create an account, their device will offer them another choice -- to generate a passkey. Users will be asked to enter their username and password -- just once -- and then proceed to the website's account-management screen. Once the user is provided the option to save a passkey for that account, they tap continue, and the process is complete.
In the future, each time the user needs to log in to that site or application, Apple will verify their identity using its FaceID or TouchID features, then automatically log in using the passkey feature.
Greatly improved security
On its website, Apple explains the advantages of using the passkey feature instead of the typical login process: "A passkey is a cryptographic entity that's not visible to you, and it's used in place of a password. A passkey consists of a key pair, which -- compared to a password -- profoundly improves security."
With the key pair, one is registered with a specific website or app, while the other is stored on the iPhone or other Apple device. The company goes on to say that each passkey will only work with its designated website -- which prevents the user from being tricked into entering their login credentials into a fake website. Furthermore, it makes use of "powerful, industry-standard cryptography techniques," securely storing the passkey on the iCloud Keychain, which is end-to-end encrypted, so not even Apple has access.
Stored passkey information can be shared among any of the user's other Apple devices. Perhaps more importantly, users can even deploy the passkey and sign into the account from a non-Apple device by beginning the login process and scanning a one-time-use QR code to verify their identity. Users can also share passkey data with trusted friends and family members authorized to log in to the same site.
"With the passkey, you'll be able to walk up to a non-Apple device and sign into a website or app using just your iPhone," said Darin Adler, the company's VP of internet technologies. "We look forward to a passwordless future," he said.
Many have longed for the days when passwords would be a thing of the past, but Apple might actually have the clout to make it happen.
The upside for Apple
This isn't necessarily groundbreaking technology, as a growing number of high-profile websites already support the use of passkeys. However, the breadth of Apple's vast user base makes this a significant move for the iPhone maker.
Earlier this year, Apple announced that it had surpassed 2 billion active devices, which includes more than 1 billion iPhones. Furthermore, as Apple customers are generally younger and more tech-savvy, they're more likely to avail themselves of the technology, thereby hastening the death of passwords.
The iPhone is the crown jewel of Apple's empire. For the 2022 fiscal year (ended Sept. 24), the iPhone generated more than $205 billion in sales and represented 52% of Apple's total revenue. Furthermore, the success of Apple's services segment relies on iPhone users signing up for additional products and services for use on their devices.
Apple has a vested interest in keeping existing customers and attracting new ones. Once users are entrenched in Apple's large and growing ecosystem, history suggests it's highly unlikely they will switch to a competing device. That's good news for Apple and its investors.
