After this year’s WWDC, when Apple announced the new iOS 8, biometric authentication suddenly became an option for developers creating apps for new iPhones. During the conference, Apple opened up the Touch ID fingerprint sensor for use by third party developers. Thanks to this permission to use Touch ID, a new app that promises biometric security for file storage is on its way to iPhone users.
Lockbox is a new app for iOS devices, expected to be released this week, that leverages the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to add a higher level of security to document and file storage.
Matt Bukovicky, one of the co-developers of Lockbox explains how it works:
“Lockbox uses Amazon servers off-site and is encrypted with the biometric fingerprint that you have to have in order to access the information. The app utilizes a major feature that Apple brought out for developers in this last development kit.”
Buckovicky and co-Lockbox-developer Charles Teel plan to offer the app for free to users that want to use the service for storing up to five 1MB files. To store larger files, users will have the option to sign up for annual service plans. According to Bukovicky, users can pay $5, $10 or $15 per year to have the ability to store five, ten or a limitless number of files respectively. Even at the lowest price point, paying users don’t have to worry about file size.
Biometrically secured file storage for the average iPhone user will fill a demand for better than password protection of sensitive data. Though some might still be apprehensive about Touch ID after the successful iPhone 6 spoofing last week, there has been a remarkably low amount of backlash on the heels of that news.
To illustrate how much privacy is till on the minds of OEMs and consumers alike, Apple has made the topic a major point of differentiation between it and its competitors. Yesterday, Mobile ID World reported on Apple’s new focus on privacy after Tim Cook posted is commitment to iLife lovers everywhere on the company’s website.
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(Source: Mobile ID World)
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