On the heel of Apple’s latest product announcement, we’ve seen a lot of coverage about the devices, and the potential impact in terms of Apple’s strategy, what it means for the market, what it means for the wider industry. So allow me some idle speculation, in the form of three short quotes, as well:
However, one thing you can say is that when you use passwords together with biometrics, you have something that is significantly stronger than either of the two alone. This is because you get the advantages of both techniques and only a few of the disadvantages. For example, we all know that you can’t change your fingerprint if compromised, but pair it with a password and you can change that password. Using these two together is referred to as two-factor authentication: something you know plus something you are. […]
Another interesting fact is that the phone itself is actually a third factor of authentication: something you possess. When combined with the other two factors it becomes an extremely reliable form of identification for use with other systems. A compromise would require being in physical possession of your phone, having your fingerprint, and knowing your PIN.
Fingerprints and Passwords: A Guide for Non-Security Experts
In the age of context, iBeacon can provide the information you needed when it is needed. Just like NFC, iBeacons even allow you to pay the bill using your smart phone.
With iBeacon, Apple is going to dump on NFC and embrace the internet of things — GigaOM
Apple now has 400 million active accounts in iTunes with credit cards. That means that all of Apple’s iOS devices are linked to those credit cards, too.
Apple’s Stash of Credit Card Numbers Is Its Secret Weapon – NYTimes.com
This, of course, is just one direction this could be going. We’ll definitely see more of the Smartphone industry going into the direction of authentication and identification devices. The current scandal regarding intelligence overreach, especially in the US, couldn’t come at a worse time for this.