People with knowledge of the matter claim that Apple Inc. launched a new homegrown app this week called Passwords, with the goal of making it simpler for users to log in to websites and apps.
The company introduced the new app as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15, the next major versions of its iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the initiative hasn’t been announced. The password-generating and password-tracking software was unveiled on June 10 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.
The new app is backed by iCloud Keychain, a long-standing Apple tool for syncing passwords and account information across several devices. This capability was previously concealed within the company's settings app or displayed when a user logged into a website.
Apple is attempting to encourage more people to use safe passwords and improve the privacy of its devices by making the feature available as a standalone app. However, the action increases competition with third-party apps. The new app will compete with password managers such as 1Password and LastPass, and Apple will allow users to import credentials from rival services.
The app displays a list of user logins and divides them into categories such as accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and Passkeys, an Apple-supported password replacement that uses Face ID and Touch ID.
Like most password managers, the data can be auto-filled into websites and apps when a user logs in. The software will also function with the Vision Pro headset and Windows computers. It also supports verification codes and functions as an authentication software similar to Google Authenticator.
The Passwords push is only one part of the WWDC event. The primary focus will be Apple's artificial intelligence project, which will include features such as notification summaries, fast photo editing, AI-generated emoji, and a more powerful Siri digital assistant. Apple will also announce a collaboration with OpenAI to utilise the ChatGPT chatbot.
