(Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Apple is reportedly going to shake up the password manager market by launching its own app.
The app, dubbed Password, will make its debut at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, according to Bloomberg.
The announcement is a bit surprising since Apple already offers iCloud Keychain, which stores and syncs passwords, in addition to supporting passkeys. But Keychain functions more as a built-in service that works quietly in the background, so not everyone may be aware of or understand how to use it.
Bloomberg reports that Apple wants to launch a more prominent Password app to help improve its customers' security and privacy. The forthcoming app will be able to autofill user data when logging in and act as authenticator app for multi-factor setups. Surprisingly, Apple is also making the Password app compatible with Windows PCs.
The result promises to overhaul Keychain in an effort to make the technology more user-friendly, especially as Apple is among the companies promoting passkeys — a technology designed to phase out traditional passwords. But on the flip side, the app is bound to compete with third-party password managers, many of which charge for their services.
In addition, Apple has been trying to stand out from other tech giants by talking up its pledge to user security and privacy, which could drive iPhone users to the Password app.
Stay tuned for our coverage of WWDC, which kicks off on June 10 and is expected to focus heavily on AI, including tapping OpenAI technology to potentially upgrade Siri.