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People hate passwords. It's a simple fact. People want to instantly access their information, but they also want to be sure other people aren't looking at it. Friends don't require a password for interaction because they recognize you by your face or voice. Why can't your phone and apps be like that?
The short answer is that apps can and will learn to recognize users. Passwords were always meant to be a stopgap measure. Here are the latest developments in phone, app and wearable security, including identification by fingerprints, eye recognition, the shape of your ear and even the way you walk.
1. Fingerprint locks - Three phones were released in the past year with new fingerprint recognition locks. The iPhone 5S hides its Touch ID under the home button. At the 5S introduction event, Apple announced that Touch ID sensor actually looks past the outer layers of skin to evaluate something called the "inner, live layer." Meanwhile, HTC chose to add an ergonomic fingerprint lock to the back of the One Max, right where the user's index finger falls naturally. The iPhone's biggest rival, the Samsung Galaxy S5, was revealed with an on-screen fingerprint field, plus a heart-rate monitor on the back. Private photos and music can also be fingerprint-locked. On the other hand, users already report that they are being locked out due to dirt, injuries or even sweaty hands. There's also debate about where and if fingerprint data should be stored.
2. Watching eyes - Retina scans have been around for 40 years. They have become a staple of science fiction and spy movies, but haven't yet gained popular acceptance in the way regular keys and passcodes have. Things are looking up, however, for eye-based security systems, like eye vein matching and iris recognition. As with fingerprint databases, the storing of eye-related data is controversial. A more immediate application of eye-recognition technology is the addition of eye tracking to apps, with add-ons like the Tobii EyeX adding a new responsiveness to games.
3. Apps for ears - Ergo is a cleverly named new app for Android that unlocks your phone based on a map of your ear as you lift the device to answer a call. Eye recognition can feel weird to some users and facial recognition is sometimes challenged by expressions or cosmetics. Ears, on the other hand, don't wear makeup and never smile. The app also comes with a PIN/password.
4. Measuring walking and posture - The Arki wristband reached its Kickstarter funding goal of $100,000 in under two weeks. This wearable device, from the Korean company Zikto, promises to improve your posture and authenticate your identity by your gait.
The Next Wave of Biometrics
Goode Intelligence predicts a coming wave of biometric devices through 2019, which will be "led by the integration into wearable technology - smartwatches, bands, ear-pods, jewelry and glasses." Our mobile devices might not truly recognize us for who we are until the web development of AI. For now, many biometrics function better as a fun and ultra-cool addition to mobile apps and devices than a reliable means of security. The race is on among developers to think of creative metrics that can uniquely identify users without taking a DNA sample.
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