Apple might let users unlock Mac via Touch ID on iPhone with OS X 10.12
An OS X feature under construction by Apple may let people unlock their Mac by way of Touch ID on a paired iPhone, a report said on Thursday.
A promo image for Knock's similar third-party option.
Under the proposed system, a device link would be established via Bluetooth LE, letting the iPhone unlock the Mac once it's within close proximity, MacRumors said. The site didn't reveal the source of its information, but has previously claimed to have a connection familiar with Apple software development.
The option could appear in the next version of OS X -- commonly dubbed OS X 10.12 -- but since that software's feature set is said to be in flux, the Touch ID unlock option might have to wait until a later release if development isn't finished in time.
It's speculated that Apple might also allow people to unlock a Mac using only an Apple Watch, though the company would have to devise a way to ensure security.
Users can already experience similar technology through Knock, a third-party platform that involves setting up Mac and iOS apps, and then knocking on an iPhone twice to unlock. In April, Knock's developers even added support for the Apple Watch, suggesting no real barrier to Apple adopting the same concept. Indeed native support would effectively kill off Knock, except for customers that haven't updated OS X.
If iPhone unlocks are coming to OS X 10.12, they will likely be revealed at next month's WWDC event in San Francisco, where Apple regularly previews new versions of OS X and iOS. The software is also expected to add Siri support to Macs for the first time, and may be rebranded as MacOS.
A promo image for Knock's similar third-party option.
Under the proposed system, a device link would be established via Bluetooth LE, letting the iPhone unlock the Mac once it's within close proximity, MacRumors said. The site didn't reveal the source of its information, but has previously claimed to have a connection familiar with Apple software development.
The option could appear in the next version of OS X -- commonly dubbed OS X 10.12 -- but since that software's feature set is said to be in flux, the Touch ID unlock option might have to wait until a later release if development isn't finished in time.
It's speculated that Apple might also allow people to unlock a Mac using only an Apple Watch, though the company would have to devise a way to ensure security.
Users can already experience similar technology through Knock, a third-party platform that involves setting up Mac and iOS apps, and then knocking on an iPhone twice to unlock. In April, Knock's developers even added support for the Apple Watch, suggesting no real barrier to Apple adopting the same concept. Indeed native support would effectively kill off Knock, except for customers that haven't updated OS X.
If iPhone unlocks are coming to OS X 10.12, they will likely be revealed at next month's WWDC event in San Francisco, where Apple regularly previews new versions of OS X and iOS. The software is also expected to add Siri support to Macs for the first time, and may be rebranded as MacOS.
Comments
Also, that picture (above) with the hole in the jeans bothers me. They should've Photoshopped it out.
It has fuck all to do with what you plan, want, or actually do and everything to do with what they SAY. How do you not get that?
As TS said, above, it's not what you plan or don't plan, it's whatever law enforcement considers illegal that previously wasn't.
Do you have any ripped MP3's? Links to torrent or "hoochie-koochie" sites? Have any sensitive personal or business information? Are you now or have you ever been Hillary Clinton?
2. Apple really need to make the entire surface of their next get trackpads Touch ID capable. It one of those things that makes so much sense it has to happen—it's too good an idea.
3. They can additionally provide a feature where a nearby iPhone of Apple Watch can enable one-click unlocking of a Mac, but security would need to be good to account for scams and such.
4. The Touch ID trackpads can be used for the inevitable Apple Pay for web too when it arrives.
Also a bit of overkill given the option to embeded TouchID in say the commandKey of the keyboard.
As TouchID seems to be LESS constitutionally protected presently, the use of TouchID as a verification method should be used according to the level of user comfort. Since Apple tightened up the parameters when TouchID is allowed (i.e. time since last use, time since last use of passcode) and MacID inherits those same parameters, the odds of law enforcement getting a warrant to force the use of TouchID before it requires the entry of the passcode now seems very low. As Apple allows iOS users to set a complex passcode vs a simple number sequence, anyone security conscience user WILL certainly use that option.
MacID has its own pairing sequence between devices (uses BTLE). FYI, one iOS device running MacID can control multiple Macs.
MacID does NOT auto-unlock on simply proximity. It WILL auto-wake the Mac on proximity (i.e. out of sleep mode) but even that feature is user selectable and assuming that the user has the mac setup to always require password verification on wake, this does NOT compromise security. If the Mac locks for whatever reason, MacID is going to require either TouchID or passcode on the iPhone OR touch on an already associated AppleWatch. I might add that the Watch side of MacID is NOT a standalone (i.e. it requires comm with the associated iOS device.
MacID ONLY works when the Mac user is logged in and running the MacID app on the Mac and the iOS device. If a reboot or logout on the Mac is performed, the user must resort to entering the necessary password...in other words, MacID is simply a tool to unlock the screen, NOT actually log into the Mac.
MacID DOES have a user selectable auto-LOCK based on decreasing proximity feature which is very good.
MacID does have a user defined Tap-to-unlock feature exclusively for the Mac trackpad as an option based solely on sequence of multiple finger taps independent of where they occur on the trackpad. As this feature LACKS all the TouchID timeout safeguards, I do NOT use it, nor recommend it use.
MacID works with apple watch based on the Apple security model that if the watch has been verified with the associated iPhone (i.e. either passcode on watch OR touchID use on iPhone while watch is ON the wrist) then MacID will unlock the Mac with a simple touch to the popup watch notification from MacID assuming that MacID is running on both the iOS device AND the Mac.
I have found that on occasion, the watch side of things is not quite as robust (i.e. working first time, every time) as compared to the iPhone use of MacID. But overall, it works, does NOT compromise security any worse than TouchID imposes and it is real time saver for those of us that have convoluted, high entropy Mac passwords.
My point is that a trackpad with Touch ID seems like an unnecessary added feature when for the reasons emoeller cites, there can be an added layer of security by tying it to a device kept on your person. The trackpad Touch ID just seems superfluous to me in my small sample size of the Mac user base (rougly 100-150 across several disciplines, education and usages). I can't think of a single user who does not own an iPhone of that bunch.
Not familiar with this, but that must be why people laughed when Google just announced the "Knock, Knock" feature for their new two-way videoconferencing app, which is a slightly slicker version of FaceTime. I think they call their new app "Allo".