Google is testing out a new service that would allow its users to sign into their accounts without the need to remember long and complicated passwords. A user would simply need an Android smartphone to take advantage of the new feature.
An Android user, called Rohit Paul, was invited to take part in the test and he posted about his experience and some screenshots over on Reddit. The process to sign up for the service is fairly straightforward and once you do you can use your phone to sign into any Google account. Users receive a notification on their device when they try to sign in, where they have to confirm the login action.
It’s easy, and we’ve seen similar functionality before, as many companies including Microsoft and Yahoo, are trying to move away from the username and password model. The only catch is that you’ll need to have some type of screen lock password in place on your phone, which seems smart given this new way of signing into accounts.
There’s no word on when this new feature might roll out to more users. According to a statement from Google, this is just a trial run with a very small number of participants. But given the company’s track record for trying out new systems, and their commitment to two-factor authentication and improving security, we’re bound to eventually see this new system expanded to more users.
Source: Rohit Paul ( Reddit) via: Venturebeat