Goodbye to Passwords? In IOS 16, Apple Introduces Pass Keys - More Secure and Encrypted Than Passwords

In a move supported by other tech giants like Microsoft and Google, Apple Does Away With Passwords in its Latest iOS, Relying Upon Pass Keys like Fingerprints and Facial Recognition Instead

As our world has become increasingly digitally dependent, we also have come to rely on more and more passwords. Apple now aims to simplify that process, eliminating the need for endless passwords by introducing “Pass Keys.” Pass Keys such as fingerprint and face recognition authentication methods are already in use on Apple devices and through iOS 16, Apple takes it one step further, eliminating the need for passwords altogether.

Pass Keys are more secure and encrypted than traditional passwords, making them far more difficult to hack into and thus improving security. They also are less of a headache on a daily basis as you would not have to remember or save passwords or constantly try to develop more complex passwords that cannot be easily hacked into.

Available to over 30 Million Apple Developers Worldwide, Apple WWDC Starts June 6th

Kicking off next week on Monday with a keynote address, WWDC has a full roster of events online and is free to Apple developers

Launching June 6th with a keynote at 10 am PDT, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, includes its regular keynote and Platforms State of the Union, as well as the latest technologies, tools, and frameworks for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The keynote address will be available at Apple.com, on the Apple developer app, Youtube and Apple TV app. Developers can connect directly with Apple engineers and designers through labs and Digital Lounges.

Apple Keynote

June 6, 10 a.m. PDT

Platforms State of the Union

June 6, 1 p.m. PDT

Apple Design Awards

June 6, 5 p.m. PDT

Access to Experts

Starts June 6th and videos are posted from June 7th onwards.

Activities

Digital Lounge meetings, FAQ, and sessions

Swift Student Challenge

Showcase student coding through Swift Playgrounds app project.

Developers can also access all WWDC content, registration, news, feature stories, and documentation at developer.apple.com.

After 22 Years, Apple Retires the iPod, Ending An Era

In 2001, Apple Launched the iPod, a digital music player that transformed the music industry and consumer electronics, paving the way for the iPhone and making Apple the most valuable company in the world.

Ending an era, Apple recently stopped the production of new iPods. In 2001, the iPod, the precursor to the iPhone, led Apple's resurgence and paved the way for the all-in-one smartphone. Six years after Apple announced the iPod that transformed the music industry, the company under Steve Jobs's leadership announced the first iPhone — revolutionizing how we do business altogether.

Twenty-two years ago, Apple introduced the iPod, a digital music device with apps that transformed the music industry and consumer electronics, while revitalizing the company. Initially launched with the modest goal of helping sell more Macintosh computers, the iPod went on to transform the music industry, shake up consumer electronics and pave the way for the iPhone — Apple’s most iconic product to date and one that catapulted the company to the status of themost valuable company in the world.

Over the years, the company produced several new iterations of the popular device.

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© Apple - iPod variations over the years. From Left to Right: (1) The original iPod, introduced on October 23, 2001, was the first MP3 player to pack 1,000 songs and a 10-hour battery into a 6.5-ounce package. (2) iPod mini, introduced on February 20, 2004, weighed just 3.6 ounces. (3) iPod nano (2nd generation), introduced on September 25, 2006, offered a thin design, a bright color display, six stylish colors, up to 24 hours of battery life, and 2,000 songs. (4) iPod touch, introduced on September 5, 2007, brought the Multi-Touch interface that made iPhone a hit, to the iPod with a 3.5-inch widescreen display. (5) iPod nano (7th generation), introduced on September 12, 2012, was the thinnest iPod to date at just 5.4mm and featured a 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display. (6) iPod shuffle (4th generation), introduced on July 15, 2015, had a sleek design with up to 15 hours of battery life, 2GB of storage, and a VoiceOver button to hear a song title, playlist name, or battery status. (7) iPod touch (7th generation), introduced on May 28, 2019, features the A10 Fusion chip, enabling immersive augmented reality experiences and Group FaceTime, with 256GB of storage.

Available to consumers in October of 2001, the first iPod was pocket-sized, rectangular in shape, with a simple white face and polished steel frame. It weighed 6.5 ounces, offered 10 hours of battery life, and could carry up to 1,000 songs. The iPod package included a pair of white earbuds in a special moon gray color.

The iPod became so popular that the generation using them was called the “iPod generation.”

Consumers can purchase available supplies of remaining iPod devices at www.apple.com until exhausted.

Apple has retired the iconic iPod given its decline in popularity in recent years. Since 2001, Apple has sold approximately 450 million iPods, according to Loup Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on tech research. Sales have dwindled in recent years, down to just three million iPods last year — a fraction compared to the approximately 250 million iPhones sold in the same period. This change is attributed to the popularity of Apple’s other devices, namely the iPhone and also AirPods, Apple Music, and the availability of other streaming music services like Spotify.

The company has expanded its range of music-enabled devices and offers Apple Music. Apple Music is a monthly subscription service launched by Apple in 2014 that gives consumers access to catalogs of music - far more extensive than single downloads available on the iPod. Apple’s range of products that offer music capabilities includes the full iPhone range from the new iPhone SE and latest iPhone 13 Pro Max to all prior models, iPads, Apple Watches, AirPods, AirPods Max, HomePods, and Mac lineup.