Google And FIDO Alliance Announce More Password-Less Security For Android

It’s getting to the point where remembering passwords are no longer necessary for accessing accounts and devices. Phones have proven to be one of the easiest places to innovate on these security options with fingerprint ID and face scanning options that feel ripped from spy movies. And to take this further, Android is looking to add more password-less security to apps.

According to TechCrunch, FIDO Alliance and Google announced that version 7.0 and up of Android that has the latest Google Play services is FIDO2 certified.

For those unaware, FIDO Alliance is a group dedicated to developing new means of data security that doesn’t require passwords for access. FIDO2 is the latest effort by the group to expand the ecosystem currently using FIDO. Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge are among the browsers that fully support FIDO at this time. Apple Safari doesn’t use the full system, but it is now available through previews.

Opening this up for Google Play means developers will be able to use FIDO when designing and updating apps on Android devices. And removing passwords won’t increase the risk of phishing attacks on personal data, which should be reassuring to developers and users.