On Sept 10th 2013, Apple not only launched the iPhone 5s, the “forward thinking” phone but could have also launched the initiation of a game changer in managing digital identities.
TouchID the finger print identity sensor is possibly the first consumer class, production ready feature available. Technically of course it’s not new, Motorola had it on their phones in 2011 and we had laptops with sensors in 2007. Its induction into the iPhone the largest selling consumer device of all time is what will possibly make it globally adaptable. Very aptly called “not just technologically possible, but technologically useful.
The interesting part of TouchID is in addition to unlocking the phone; it can also be by the AppStore and few other Apple applications for authentication. That could mean a whole new way of authenticating users for enterprise applications. Touch the phone, unlock it, login to Facebook, Salesforce, CRM or ERP.
So just not BYOD but, BYOD & A (authenticate).
Now Apple doesn’t give out hardware API’s to third party developers usually but maybe they will find a way of doing it. It’s only a matter of time when Google, Microsoft the more “open” companies build TouchID type of feature into their mobile operating systems and phones.
A consumer class device with technically useable and affordable finger print sensor could be the next innovative disruption in the identity and access management space.
Sameer Shelke
CTO and COO
