Apple reportedly created a dedicated password app for iPhone and Mac

Apple plans to integrate a password management application directly into upcoming versions of the iPhone and Mac operating systems, reported Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman on Thursday. The new app, simply called Passwords, will compete with existing password managers like 1Password and LastPass, which typically charge users monthly fees to generate and store unique passwords. Apple plans to unveil the app at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.

Apple already generates and stores unique passwords through iCloud Keychain, a feature that syncs passwords across all Apple devices you own as well as Windows PCs through a browser extension. But passwords stored in iCloud Keychain live – oddly – ​​in the Settings app, often making them difficult to find or change. Having a dedicated password app built into Apple devices would not only make this easier, but also give people another reason to stay in the Apple ecosystem.

Just like its competitors, Apple’s Passwords app reportedly divides passwords into different categories such as accounts, WiFi networks, and passkeys (here’s our in-depth analysis explaining how they work). It will also allow you to import passwords from competing apps and will automatically fill them when your device detects that you are signing into a website or app. Passwords will also work on Apple’s $4,000 Vision Pro headset and, just like Google Authenticator and Authy, will support two-factor verification codes. What’s still unclear is whether the Passwords app will let you securely store files and images in addition to passwords, which 1Password and LastPass offer.

In addition to passwords, Apple is expected to unveil the next versions of iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, WatchOS and VisionOS on Monday. New versions of the software would come with all-new AI features.