In a challenge to password management software like LastPass and 1Password, Apple is reportedly creating a standalone password app. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the new Passwords app will debut at WWDC next week and will be available on Apple devices, including Vision Pro, and even on Windows.
For years, Apple fans have wanted the company to remove password management from the Settings app. Storing passwords in iCloud Keychain is convenient, but it gets tedious as soon as you leave Safari or Apple’s own apps. If you ever use your services on a Windows computer or other device, it’s difficult to dive into your iPhone settings to find and enter them manually. Support for two-factor authentication was also limited.
The new Passwords app, Gurman says, solves most of these problems. It will be available on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro, and even Windows. Additionally, it will “support verification codes and serve as an authenticator app similar to Google Authenticator.”
A standalone app should make it easier to manage passwords if you ever need to change one, as well as access information like passwords, Wi-Fi connections, and passkeys across multiple devices. It’s unclear what other kinds of details it can handle; Password managers often contain autofill data for payment information and addresses, in addition to passwords.
We’ll find out in a few days, when WWDC 2024 begins on June 10.
