At WWDC 2019, Apple is continuing to make its case and push for stronger privacy features. To make it simpler and more secure for iOS 13 users to sign in to apps, Apple is launching a new sign in button called “Sign in with Apple.” The tool works like similar social sign-in buttons — like those that allow users to log into third-party apps with either their Google or Facebook ID — but adds Apple’s twist with a focus on privacy and security.
Most apps and services today require users to either create a user profile or login with a social ID to deliver a unique, customized experience. The former requires comes with a lot of friction, as it requires you to enter a lot of information, while the latter is convenient but could reveal a lot about you.
“Now, this can be convenient, but it also can come at the cost of your privacy, your personal information sometimes gets shared behind the scenes and these logins can be used to track you,” Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said of competing social sign-in options during Apple’s keynote address. “So we wanted to solve this, and many developers do, too. And so now we have the solution. It’s called sign in.”
The Apple sign-in button allows iOS users to sign in to apps, like ridesharing apps, with their Apple ID but without all the tracking or having to reveal personal information. Apple will provide developers with the sign-in APIs to build into their app.
When apps require your email address or name, you can choose how you want to share this information with developers. In a demo using Bird’s scooter rental app, Federighi showed that users can either choose to share their email address with the developer or choose an option that will create a randomized email address that will relay the message to your Apple iCloud email address to protect your security.
“And that’s good news because we give each app, a unique random address, and this means you can disable any one of them and anytime and when you’re tired of hearing from that app,” he said.
Though the experience was focused on iOS, Apple will bring its sign-in button to all of its platforms and on the web, Federighi said, so you’ll have more control over the personal information you share with websites and developers when you log in to apps and services.
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