1Password is on a mission to lead the shift from traditional passwords to passkeys.
Google announced today that it is rolling out passkeys to its account users globally, and 1Password’s CEO believes this is a “giant leap forward” in eliminating passwords, as it develops its own passwordless solutions.
In a statement shared with BetaKit, 1Password CEO Jeff Shiner called Google’s move to eliminate passwords a “tipping point for passkeys and making the online world safe.”
“Passkeys are the first authentication method that removes human error – delivering security and ease of use,” Shiner said. “In order to be widely adopted though, users need the ability to choose where and when they want to use passkeys so they can easily switch between ecosystems.”
Apart from Google, Apple and Microsoft also announced plans last year to implement passwordless sign-in.
Alongside Google and other tech giants like Apple and Amazon, Toronto-based 1Password is part of the FIDO Alliance, an open industry association whose mandate is to help reduce the world’s reliance on passwords.
1Password has been working on “Universal Sign On,” which is meant to be a more seamless and secure sign-in experience that utilizes passkeys, passwords, and other forms of authentication.
With Google’s new product launch today, the race to the next generation of authentication picks up more speed. Google was part of an Apple and Microsoft trio last year that announced plans to implement passwordless sign-in across their platforms.
1Password has also accelerated its move to passkeys. Speaking with BetaKit earlier this year, 1Password’s head of passwordless, Anna Pobletts, said , 1Password is in a “key 18-month window” in going passwordless with the aim to make passkeys publicly available in “early 2023.”
Pobletts joined 1Password after it bought her Texas-based startup Passage, which focused on making the predecessor to passkeys with a “developer-first and biometric-first approach.”
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1Password has made several other moves in its passwordless strategy. Since launching universal sign-on in beta last June, the company has made “unlock with single sign-on” available for enterprise customers using Okta. 1Password said it plans to make this available with Azure AD and Duo to follow in the coming months.
Additionally, 1Password created a directory of sites that offer passkeys support and regularly updates it.
Featured image courtesy Web Summit.
