Passkeys were never an Apple-only word, but the confusion is understandable - The Verge
Passkeys, a word that is now widely understood to be in place of FIDO authentication, was first promoted by Apple at WWDC in June. But as the technology gets adopted, it may be easy to assume it’s exclusive to Apple.
When Apple introduced passkeys, its implementation of FIDO Alliance’s passwordless secure authentication technology, the company did it in the most Apple way possible. It made an icon and printed a very on Apple brand-looking “Passkeys” next to it, complete with the San Francisco font. And if you’ve watched only part of the WWDC presentation on Apple’s passkeys, it’s possible to assume passkeys are an exclusive feature of Apple’s iCloud Keychain. Just a reminder: it’s not.
The term “passkey” will also be used by major players Microsoft and Google. It’s used as a common noun and can be plural or singular. For instance, “you should set a passkey for your banking app.” In other words, treat the word “passkey” as you would treat the word “password.” Passkeys work by letting you log in to an app or website with just your username and your pre-authenticated device — which uses a cryptographic token instead of a password and text message code that could get phished or otherwise compromised.
Apple’s software engineering manager Ricky Mondello started a Twitter thread yesterday to promote the new technology and clarify what it means. Microsoft’s VP of identity Alex Simons chimed in and confirmed that Microsoft will also be adopting the name. All involved parties seem to be committed to spreading awareness of passkeys, and thus far, none are trying to claim it as their own.
We will definitely be using the "passkey" term in our products and services. Will take some time to build awareness/understanding, but we're all committed to making the needed investments.
Rating: 5