How iOS 15.4 Could Eliminate Password Hell

Security has long been a selling point for Apple. From the start, the company invested heavily in building security into its platforms. From innovations like Secure Enclave, to user-facing technologies like Touch ID, Face ID, and iCloud Keychain. But in the most recent beta versions of its operating systems, and in particular in iOS 15.4, Apple has made improvements that take into account both security and user comfort. They show that while the company continues to take the security of devices and the information they house to heart, it also knows that people need to be able to interact with these systems, often multiple times a day. In addition, in the long term, we can see quite clearly that the firm at the apple intends to extend these technologies and offer products capable of offering the safest and most user-friendly experience on the market.

Introduced in recent years, iCloud Keychain (and the macOS version before it) has greatly simplified the creation and management of secure passwords on various sites and applications. However, despite some significant updates to the iCloud Keychain system in iOS 15, like the ability to store one-time verification codes, Apple’s built-in offering still lags behind standalone password managers on the market. kind 1Password.

The password lock

In the iOS 15.4 beta released recently, it becomes clear that Apple is still looking to improve its system and bring it up to par with these other products. In the future release of iOS 15.4, users will be able to add notes to password items. This is an important feature for users of password managers where they can securely store items other than passwords as well. This is the case with 1Password’s Secure Notes where you can keep track of account backup recovery codes, plus other secure information that doesn’t really match the “password” type.

With iCloud Keychain, the provider’s goal isn’t necessarily to make 1Password or other password managers obsolete, but the company understands that this type of functionality is a major component of its users’ security. We are impatiently awaiting the addition of the secure note, but we would also like the interface to make it easier to find passwords when applications or services do not support the iCloud Keychain (Terminal, for example). Password management deserves its own application or, at least, a more accessible mode of operation than it currently is, since you have to go to the iOS settings or the macOS preferences pane to do so. to access.

The face as a password

Apple’s addition of multiple biometric authentication features has been widely praised, and rightly so. Touch ID and Face ID have become the most visible and arguably the most effective biometric authentication methods. And in iOS 15.4, Face ID promises to be even more efficient, since this mode of authentication will now allow you to unlock your device even if you are wearing a mask. Two years into the pandemic, this feature was in high demand, although there were questions about whether it would be technologically possible. At the start of the pandemic, Apple had already added a function that allowed you to unlock an iPhone if you were wearing an already authenticated Watch. But Face ID’s latest “With Mask” option can do other things, like unlock third-party apps and use features like Pay.

It’s possible to use your Apple Watch to unlock your iPhone, but Face ID’s new capabilities go further. (Credit: Apple)

These additions are welcome, especially for those who use longer and more complex passwords (the majority, right?). Unfortunately, Face ID, which Apple says is even more secure than Touch ID, is still not available on Mac. Plus, given the convenience of Touch ID and Face ID, an iPhone (and iPad) that offers both options would be welcome.

The end of passwords?

Still, Apple is moving closer to a world where we may no longer have to remember, or even worry about, long sequences of obscure numbers and letters for every website we visit. Last year at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the company talked about adding a framework called Passkeys to the iCloud Keychain, aimed precisely at this goal. This feature still only exists as a “technology preview” (i.e. it’s not even in beta yet and likely won’t be deployed widely until several years), but iOS 15.4 also adds a feature for this framework: the possibility of using an existing key on an iPhone, if one connects to the same site on a Mac or an associated iPad. In theory, this means that if you have authenticated via Face ID or Touch ID on the iPhone, you can use this same identifier to access the same service on another of your devices. Ultimately, this technology will combine the benefits of iCloud Keychain with the simplicity of Touch ID and Face ID. It’s the eternal balance of security that Apple clearly continues to invest in. Thus, if the Californian company’s products remain the most secure on the market, they also continue to offer comfort of use that cannot be found anywhere else.