In Apple’s usage, that authentication has generally
been inward-facing: users control access to their own
files and data, and the system checks to see whether
or not we are the person who should be allowed
in. But beginning in iOS 13, a few minor updates
will start moving that authentication into the public
realm, opening up the ability for us to prove our
identity to others. And there’s a lot more room for
Apple to expand there.Hello, my name is
We’ve all had the experience of using iMessage or
SMS and not knowing who’s on the other end (or, as
the children say, “new phone, who dis?”). Whether
it’s because it’s a wrong number or someone that
we’ve met but haven’t yet put into our contacts, it
can be frustrating to just have a string of numbers
as identification. Apple has tried to mitigate this in
recent years by using information from your email
or other apps to try and guess who’s calling or
texting you. For example, if you’ve been emailing
someone and their number is in their signature, iOS
can cross reference that information and let you
know what it finds.
iOS 13 will take this further by allowing iMessage
users the ability to voluntarily share their names and an
image of their choosing with contacts, even if they’ve
never been in touch before. (Users get to control
whether everybody can automatically see this, only
one’s existing contacts, or whether they’ll be prompted
each time.) This turns iMessage into something a little
closer to a social network, but – more to the point – itiOS 13InApple’susage,thatauthenticationhasgenerally
beeninward-facing:userscontrolaccesstotheirown
filesanddata,andthesystemcheckstoseewhether
ornotwearethepersonwhoshouldbeallowed
in.ButbeginninginiOS13,afewminorupdates
will start movingthatauthenticationintothepublic
realm,openinguptheabilityforustoproveour
identitytoothers.Andthere’salotmoreroomfor
Appletoexpandthere.
Hello,mynameis
We’veallhadtheexperienceofusingiMessageor
SMSandnotknowingwho’sontheotherend(or,as
thechildrensay,“newphone,whodis?”).Whether
it’s because it’s a wrong number or someone that
we’vemetbuthaven’tyetputintoourcontacts,it
canbefrustratingtojusthaveastringofnumbers
asidentification.Applehastriedtomitigatethisin
recentyearsbyusinginformationfromyouremail
or otherappstotryandguesswho’scallingor
textingyou. Forexample,ifyou’vebeenemailing
someoneand theirnumberisintheirsignature,iOS
can crossreferencethatinformationandletyou
know whatitfinds.
iOS 13 willtakethisfurtherbyallowingiMessage
userstheabilitytovoluntarilysharetheirnamesandan
imageoftheirchoosingwithcontacts,evenifthey’ve
neverbeenintouchbefore.(Usersgettocontrol
whether everybody can automatically see this, only
one’sexistingcontacts,orwhetherthey’llbeprompted
eachtime.)ThisturnsiMessageintosomethingalittle
closer to a social network, but – more to the point – it
iOS 13