Apple is preparing a new built-in “Passwords” app that should be announced at WWDC 2024 next week. The new app will be available on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15, and aims to consolidate password management into a dedicated app, reports Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
The new app will record and keep track of users’ passwords and other functionality present on other password management apps like generating new passwords. Apple aims to compete with current offerings on the App Store that offer similar features like 1Password and LastPass.
Passwords will be a natural extension of iCloud Keychain, a built-in service with iOS and other Apple software platforms that manage passwords. Currently, iCloud Keychain is tucked away behind several menus inside the Settings app. The report adds that the dedicated iOS 18 app should make iCloud Keychain more discoverable, promoting its adoption among more iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.
Passwords will support different categories of login data including accounts, Wi-Fi details, and Passkeys. The new iOS 18 app will also feature generating two-factor authentication (2FA) codes and similar services offered by rival products such as Google Authenticator. Apple is also preparing a version of Passwords that will work on Vision Pro as part of visionOS 2 and even includes support for Windows PCs.
Apple will use the new Passwords app to promote the privacy features of the iPhone and its other devices. Beyond Passwords, iOS 18 will mainly focus on new generative AI features as extensively covered earlier, with AI set to bolster apps and services including Safari, Mail, Messages, Siri, Xcode, and more.
