Apple and Google plot to KILL passwords with new system – how it works

TECH giants are aiming to scrap the password and replace it with a smarter, safer multi-device authentication system.

The announcement came on “World Password Day”.

Logging on won’t require typing a password for much longer

It’s a rare day when Apple, Google and Microsoft are working together rather than acting as rivals.

The venture to eliminate passwords is spearheaded by two internet modernization organizers, the FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium

A new verification system requires users to authenticate their identity on a second device, like a phone or tablet.

The FIDO Alliance wrote going passwordless “reflects an evolutionary step in the FIDO ecosystem, delivering phishing-resistant authentication at a scale that rivals that of password-based authentication deployments” in a white paper.

Using a phone or tablet as an authenticator will cut down on the human element of digital security.

61% of people use the same password for multiple accounts – this can put the user at risk of a security breach across all their platforms

FIDO’s solution is partly powered by Bluetooth, which confirms the users physical proximity to the device they’re signing into.

“These new capabilities are expected to become available across Apple, Google, and Microsoft platforms over the course of the coming year,” a FIDO blog wrote.

Most companies and media are dubbing the new password style “passkey”.

“By working together as a community across platforms, we can at last achieve this vision and make significant progress toward eliminating passwords,” a Microsoft executive said.

The three major players in tech – Apple, Google and Microsoft – have been in competition for decades.

While most of the founders are not with their companies anymore – Steve Jobs passed away in 2011 and Bill Gates left Microsoft in 2020 – the businesses they created are working in sync to scrub the password.