Apple Inc. has applied for a new patent to keep gadgets such as iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks safe from hackers, going by the patent number US20230259598A1.
Until now, logging into websites required you to remember and input complicated passwords, a process which was not only fraught with the risk of forgetting those passwords, but also exposed you to potential online threats. This was a slow and, frankly, annoying process. Plus, it was a serious battery drainer.
Apple's solution to this? Quite interesting and simple. The new patent aims to cut down on the manual labor for logging in. It plans on using a special picture, or let's call it a 'visual code', on your computer or MacBook. This code can then be read by your personal smartphone. But that's not all. Once your phone reads this visual code, you have to input a secret password on your phone and voila, you're logged in on your computer.
Not only is this technique faster and simpler, it is also more efficient with our devices' battery life. It means that our handheld devices and computers can live a little longer between charges, that's a win! To top it all off, it's safer. A hacker might steal your password, but they would also need your phone to log in.
The patent outlines that these methods are designed to be easy to use and understand, avoiding any confusion during the login process. The new method could potentially replace current login methods. However, it’s important to note that this proposition at the moment is just a patent application. As with all patents, there is no guarantee that we'll ever see it hit the open market.
Last but not least, Apple's new patent was complete with illustrations demonstrating the device – such as, a portable multifunction device, a visual interface for a multifunction device, methods of managing secure login, amongst others, which could potentially offer a glimpse into how this technology would work in reality.
In conclusion, whether or not we will actually see this new digital security measure in the market is contingent on the approval of this patent (US20230259598A1). However, if it does get the green light, the days of forgetting passwords and having drained batteries might soon be over, making the everyday task of logging in as simple as scanning a code and entering a secret password on your phone.