Amazon embraces a passwordless future with passkey support on iOS and the web. Android coming soon.
The use of passkeys, a more secure and convenient way to sign in to websites and apps, has been gaining much traction lately with many apps implementing their support. The latest of these sites is Amazon, which has begun to roll out support for this new login method on iOS and the web.
Amazon announced the move today, and with it, the company's plans to make it the site easier and safer for customers to sign in to their accounts. Passkey support is first being rolled out on the iOS shopping app and desktop browsers, with support for the Android app coming soon.
To use a passkey, customers simply need to unlock their device with their fingerprint, face scan, or lock screen PIN. Once their device is unlocked, they can confirm their identity to Amazon using their passkey. This makes it easier and more convenient for customers to sign in, and it also helps to protect their accounts from phishing attacks and other security threats.
This is about giving customers ease-of-use and security simultaneously in their Amazon experience. While passwords will still be around in the foreseeable future, this is an exciting step in the right direction. We are thrilled to be an early adopter of this new authentication method, helping to realize our vision for a more secure, passwordless internet. - Dave Treadwell, Sr. VP of E-Commerce at Amazon
Amazon passkey on iOS | Image via Amazon
To set up a passkey, customers can go to their Amazon account settings and select "Login & Security." Then, they can select "Set up" next to "Passkeys" and follow the on-screen instructions. Once a passkey has been added to an account, customers can sign in with it on any supported device or browser.
Passkey support begins a gradual rollout today, effectively joining in on the effort to reduce the reliance on passwords. On this, Andrew Shikiar (Executive Director and Chief Marketing Officer of the FIDO Alliance), had the below to say:
Our research shows that consumers are tired of the hassle and complexity of passwords, and they are excited to embrace passkey sign-ins, which enable them to simply and securely access online services and stands to turn the tide against the ongoing plague of data breaches and identity theft. Passkeys fundamentally shift the way we sign in to our online accounts for the better—and seeing Amazon roll out passkeys is evidence of its commitment to its customers’ time, experiences, and security across Amazon web and mobile shopping experiences.
Amazon says it truly believes that passkeys are a big improvement over passwords, and that the company is committed to making them the standard way to sign in to websites and apps. This seems to be the sentiment across the industry at the moment, each company doing their part in encouraging even more companies to do the same so that we can all enjoy a safer and more convenient online experience.
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