iOS 16, Apple’s next software update for the iPhone, contains many new high-profile features. But there are also some more obscure updates.
Such as an intriguing new feature, detected by MacRumors, that will allow iPhone users to avoid CAPTCHAs by verifying the device in the background.
CAPTCHAs, if you are unfamiliar with the term, are those deeply annoying verification puzzles in which you have to prove that you are not a bot. Sometimes it is necessary to read and write a distorted sample of text; you are sometimes asked to click on “every photo that contains a boat” or “every photo that contains a traffic light”. The idea is that only humans have the pattern recognition skills needed to pass the test, so websites and apps can use this method to prevent botnets from automatically generating thousands of fake accounts or making fraudulent purchases.
As Apple explains in a video covering the new feature, CAPTCHAs have a number of issues. They create potential privacy issues, because they involve IP tracking; worsen the user experience; and may completely exclude some human users, especially if they have language disabilities or barriers. It is very difficult to set the bar at a level that excludes all robots and includes all humans, given the variety of accessibility issues between humans and the ever-evolving AI capabilities.
iOS 16 will eliminate the need for CAPTCHA by doing the same background verification work, depending on the activity of the user’s Apple ID account, the passwords entered, the biometric login activity, and so on. , and then share a private access token with the app or website to prove that everything is legitimate. This should make the process much less costly for the user and help the site or application to stay away from potential users and customers.
Website login comparison with iOS 15 and iOS 16, showing a CAPTCHA example when using iOS 15. iOS 16 will remove this step.
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All of this is not yet proven at this time, of course. We’ll have to see how well site owners and app developers adopt Apple’s system and how fraudulent parties face the challenge of breaking that system. But at the very least, this is an appealing idea that could make using the Internet quantifiably less annoying.
iOS 16 is now available as a beta for developers. It is scheduled to be released to the general public in September.