Apple really needs two passwords, not one for everything
2012 December 10
I think it’s quite insane that my whole Apple account only has one password. I need the same password for a whole range of actions. I need to type it to ‘buy’ a free app, which has almost no consequences; I can always remove it. But with the same password I can also remotely erase my iPhone, iPad an Mac. So I have no choice but making it a long, complex, strong password. Which stops me from getting free apps, as it’s a hassle to type on my iPhone.
Apple should really have two passwords: A simple 4 digit PIN for free apps (or, up to a threshold: Let’s say I could enable my PIN for apps up to $5). And you could then use your “real” password for features that need more security, such as find/erase my device, buy a $999 app, and so on.
YES! This drives me crazy. I have to launch 1Password to and manually pull my password just to perform OS updates.
I’ve taken to delaying them for months given my laziness.
Not sure what the resolution for me would be, but jeeze, it’s just an iTunes update.
I great idea for ‘power users’, but what about grandma?
Isn’t it about time Apple just offer two step authentication? Any new device or a browser where a long living cookie isn’t found, ask the user to re-authenticate using their phone/sms etc.
Use a different account for iCloud than iTunes.
JD: “Grandma” (the non-power-user) would just use the same password for both, or perhaps the UI would even allow her to leave alone the checkbox that says “Require separate password for high risk transactions”.
@sam
Exactly.
Honestly this could also be avoided if there was a checkbox in iOS’ UI that said, in essence, “I am an an adult who does not have any children in my life who will buy $5000 worth of imaginary game money if there isn’t a password on the store.” (Which is the potential consequence of downloading a free app, too.)
As it is now, if you go digging in the restrictions, you have a choice between “require password all the time” and “require password after 15 minutes”.
Also if your iDevice is jailbroken, get Password Pilot. It’ll autofill store password dialogues and you can switch to a nice long one.
IMHO, free transactions shouldn’t need any password at all, it offers no benefit or added security at all.
I wish Apple will just require the password for paid apps and IAPs.