What Is “Sign In With Apple”, How To Use It, and How Safe It Is.
At WWDC 2019, Apple introduced a new Sign In with Apple feature to attendees and viewers that is rolling out to all devices. While this feature isn’t necessarily innovative or profitable for buying a MacBook or iPhone, it has since grown into a valuable part of Apple’s device suite of features.
Apple Pay launched five years earlier and is probably the closest and most comparable feature. Apple Pay and Sign In with Apple are two ways Apple continues to promote a simpler and more intuitive interface, not only in terms of hardware and operating system, but now even in third-party apps.
What is “Sign in with Apple”?
In recent years, online registration forms have been simplified in various ways. One of the most common ways to simplify the process is through the use of OAuth, an open protocol that enables secure authorization in web, mobile, and desktop applications.
Most likely, you have been to websites where you are given the option to either register using an email address or by linking an account from a popular service such as Google or Facebook. In most cases, this is OAuth
Apple’s Sign In with Apple feature works similarly to OAuth If you’ve seen the Apple Pay button on any mobile website or app, Apple’s new sign-in button is very similar.
If your device is running iOS 13 or later, you can use your Apple login information to create an account instantly and easily. The only requirement is that you have two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID.
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Sign in with Apple has some very interesting benefits that you won’t find with OAuth and similar services. An example is Apple’s Hide My Email feature.
With Hide My Email, Apple will generate a random email address at the privaterelay.appleid.com domain name that will be redirected to your real iCloud email account and used during account registration. Considering the speed at which websites are hacked, this is a great security buffer that can save your iCloud account from potential hacking.
Creating an account with Apple’s new sign-in feature will allow you to sign in using Face ID, Touch ID, or your device’s password. In a world that is trying to move beyond plain text passwords, this is a step in the right direction.
How to use “Sign in with Apple”
Apple’s new sign-in feature is still relatively young and is only available in a select few apps on the App Store – Instacart and Bird are two examples. If you want to experience logging in with Apple, you can download any of these apps.
On the sign up page for any supported app, you’ll see a Sign In with Apple button, black with the Apple logo.
Clicking this button will bring up a hint that shows your device’s current iCloud information, allowing you to choose whether you want to register with your real iCloud email address or disguise it with Apple’s Hide My Email feature.
The login button will either “Continue with Password” or mention the biometrics you use to secure your Apple ID – Face ID or Touch ID. If you go ahead and confirm your password, Face ID, or Touch ID, your account will be created and you can sign in in the future on devices associated with your Apple ID.
How secure is ‘Signing in with Apple’?
Apple’s new sign-in service is one of the safest methods to create regular network logins. This requires an Apple device with two-factor authentication enabled, and you will need to go through your phone’s standard security check to access your account. There are very few other systems on the Internet where your login information is actually associated with a physical device.
Plus, while disposable email services and email forwarders are nothing new, Apple’s integration with Hide My Email really simplifies the process and opens up the ability to mask email for users who might otherwise not even know or understand the existence of such a measure. security.
With regard to user privacy, Apple promises the following on its official sign-in support page: “Signing in with Apple will not track or profile you when you use your favorite apps and websites, and Apple only stores the information it needs to make sure that you can log in and manage your account. ”
Overall, Apple has raised the bar with its new sign-in service. OAuth has saved a lot of time over the years, but Sign In with Apple is much more powerful if you can find an app that supports it and you have an Apple ID that’s protected by two-factor authentication. This is another big step towards creating a password-free network.
If you have any questions or comments regarding Apple’s new sign-in service, don’t forget to write us a comment below!
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