Apple risks hurting password managers

A password manager designed by Apple should be presented at WWDC 2024. The application, whose name would be Passwords, risks shaking up the sector.

The password manager market had better watch out. In the near future, Apple is expected to launch its own secret code storage and management solution. This is what journalist Mark Gurman reported in the columns of Bloomberg on June 6. The application would be called “Passwords”.

The release of Passwords could also be imminent, since its fate is linked to the update of Apple’s operating systems – iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15. The Cupertino company is organizing June 10 to 14 its annual WWDC conference. We are also waiting for news from WatchOS 11 and tvOS 11.

What to expect from the Passwords app

Logically, we expect Passwords to include the most common functions of any good password manager. The ability to generate new codes and automatic filling of input fields are essential. Perhaps the utility will also allow you to check the strength of passwords.

We also expect support for passkeys, seen as the future of passwords, to be ensured. After all, Apple is showing leadership on this subject, alongside Microsoft and Google. Naturally, it is unthinkable that synchronization via the cloud is not offered: this would be a real insufficiency in the case of multiple devices.

Code management for two-factor authentication also seems essential — this support exists among several competitors. However, there is always the possibility of opting for a dedicated application like Authy or Google Authenticator. We will have to wait for the company’s announcements to find out the capabilities of Passwords.

type="image/avif"> type="image/webp">>>

Password managers are going to be shaken up by Apple. // Source: Numerama

Things will be rocky for managers

The password manager market is saturated today — there are many heavyweights like 1Password, Dashlane, LastPass, Bitwarden, NordPass, KeePass, Proton Pass, Enpass and Keeper.

However, Apple has on its side its unrivaled strike power, which will allow it to take on its rivals – even if it arrives “late” in this sector. We saw it in audio streaming: even though Apple Music was only released in 2015, almost a decade after Deezer and Spotify, the platform has become a music giant.

To resist, current managers will perhaps be able to rely on a certain propensity of the public to keep the tool they already use — which allows a certain captivity of their base. Perhaps they will also be able to use more exotic features. Dashlane, for example, has a built-in VPN. Proton Pass also provides an ecosystem.

Last unknown: the economic model behind Passwords. We can assume that it will be free, like the iCloud Keychain. If this is true, we can expect a turbulent time for others in the password management industry. The majority also sell paid plans, with various levels of services.