Apple Beta Tests Touch ID and Face ID for iCloud Logins

Apple is currently beta testing a new iCloud feature that will allow users to sign into their iCloud.com accounts using Touch ID or Face ID on a compatible Apple device. The new sign in capabilities would be introduced with iOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina, all of which are also in the beta testing phase.

The integration of Touch ID and Face ID would eliminate the need to provide a password when logging in. The feature does not require two-factor authentication, largely because biometric authentication is more secure than a manually entered password. According to 9to5Mac, the new feature could be connected to the Sign In with Apple tool, which is designed to make it easier to sign in with an Apple ID and is expected to launch for the general public in September.

The iCloud login feature, meanwhile, would be supported on the iPhone, the iPad, and Mac computers with the launch of their respective operating systems. It’s yet another example of Apple’s ongoing commitment to Touch and Face ID despite concerns about the ongoing trade war and Face ID’s manufacturing costs in China. Apple has previously filed a patent that could place both modalities in the Mac Touch Bar, and also introduced Face ID upgrades for the iPad.

Sources: 9to5Mac, TechRadar