What should I know about passkayes?

Passkeys are a significant upgrade in account security and user convenience, as discussed in several sessions at WWDC 2024. They are designed to replace traditional passwords, offering a more secure and phishing-resistant method of authentication. Here are some key points about passkeys:

1. Security and Convenience: Passkeys eliminate the need for passwords, which are vulnerable to phishing attacks. They provide a single-tap or click sign-in experience, making them more secure and user-friendly. Passkeys can't be forgotten and are less likely to require resets.

2. Automatic Upgrades: Apps can automatically upgrade existing accounts to use passkeys during sign-in, without requiring users to adjust their login flow. This transition is seamless and helps in moving away from phishable factors like passwords, SMS, and email codes.

3. Industry Transition: The industry is in a transition period, moving from phishable sign-in methods to unfishable authentication mechanisms like passkeys. This transition is supported by automatic passkey upgrades, which make it easier for users to adopt passkeys.

4. Implementation: Developers can implement passkeys in their apps and websites by following a process similar to developing any new feature, including learning, building, testing, and shipping phases. The ultimate goal is to make sign-in easier and improve account security.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the session Streamline sign-in with passkey upgrades and credential managers (02:38) and What’s new in privacy (20:46).