Apple’s native iOS password manager may be getting an overhaul later this year with the presumed release of iOS 14 that will make it more competitive with third-party options like 1Password and LastPass, reports 9to5Mac.
Right now, iCloud Keychain can store your passwords and help autofill them on the iPhone, where copying and pasting long strings of letters and numbers or manually doing so has been a headache since the advent of the mobile touchscreen. But it doesn’t have reminders for changing those passwords like competitors do, and it doesn’t support two-factor authentication (2FA) options. That means users are still stuck using potentially insecure methods like SMS or email in the event that they do have 2FA set up.
According to 9to5Mac, which says the new features are part of an early build of the upcoming OS release, Apple will be adding both password changing recommendations and 2FA support. It’s not clear if that means Apple will offer its own authenticator feature, like Google’s Authenticator, Authy, or the dedicated versions from both 1Password and LastPass. But 9to5Mac says the goal is to remove reliance on SMS and email as secondary verification options, given the rise of SIM hacking and other more commonplace methods for bypassing weaker 2FA.
This could be good news for people eager to avoid pricey subscription services; both 1Password and LastPass charge upwards of $35 for annual access to more security-focused features like 2FA support. And for those who just like deeper integration with Apple services, seeing a more robust iCloud Keychain is a step in the right direction.
Author: Nick Statt.
Source: Theverge
