Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AgileBits Denies Reported 'Acquisition Talks' Between Apple and 1Password [Updated]

Workflow was the key to upgrade Siri
1Password could be the key to upgrade keychain

I would love this. A better visual interface and richer built in password manager.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CyberBob859 and Azzin
Super conflicted about this one. Though, I would be estatic if Apple bought Little Snitch. I won’t Mac without it or 1Password.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ener Ji
1password is great.

One reason to keep it cross platform is it makes transition to OS X easier.

If there is a simple migration to Keychain and keychain continues to improve, 1password could ease adoption of the Apple ecosystem for android and windows users.

Even without an acquisition it is a solid strategic decision as well. Good opsec for employees now means extending password security to their immediate families.

Family members may have compromising info that could make an attack on the employees. That means Apple should be offering good, free tools that cover competitive platforms.
 
The reason I switch to 1Password from iCloud Keychain is because it's a separate account that has NOTHING to do with my Apple ID. Having everything linked to apple ids has caused me so many problems. Running a small business on iCloud Keychain was a nightmare, basically impossible. With 1password, my family members can have access to the one 1password account.

If Apple tries to link iCloud/Apple IDs to 1password in any way I will be very skeptical.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ShinyDren and haruhiko
scottlitch said:
What does 1password do that Apple's Keychain doesn't?
Click to expand...

Based on my personal experience (I have not used Keychain in a while, so some of this may have changed, but):

1. An extra layer of security (it will ask for the master password every x minutes to use it)
2. Granted there are other apps, but in 1Password you can store much more than just passwords
3. It works BETTER with 3rd party services
4. You can sync it across your devices using one of three ways (iCloud, DropBox, Wifi), last I checked, Keychains was only over iCloud.
5. UI is very easy to use
6. Cross-platform.

Again, some of these may have changed since I last used it about two years ago, but let's face it, for a lot of people (including myself), 1Password is superior to Keychains.
 
  • Like
Reactions: k.alexander, scottlitch, ShinyDren and 1 other person
Defthand said:
Lots. It’s more than its name suggests. It stores more than just passwords. I store serial numbers, account numbers, software licenses, SSN numbers for family members, previous passwords, car VIN numbers, pretty much any identification that might eventually be required of me.

The UI is also more useful than Keychain’s. Keychain’s contents are essentially hidden and inconvenient to browse or search. 1Password’s app lets you see and organize your content.
Click to expand...

Keychain does let you store secure notes on the Mac, which could handle much of this extra data. But they don’t make it available on iOS.

What I don’t get is why Apple just doesn’t improve Keychain. This isn’t really hard software to write. Most of the necessary features already exist in Keychain. The only reason I could see buying 1Password is to get the cross platform access.

As an Apple and Keychain user I’m interested in what this means to me. I’ve used Keychain because Apple originally didn’t allow other managers to integrate with their system and because I have a bit more trust in Apple’s protection of data. That said I’ve had issues with password data syncing, but I experience problems with any Apple product that relies on syncing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jarman92
As a very happy 1Password user, I am hoping that Apple does not buy them. I agree with all other posters, I think that Apple buying them could limit the development. PLUS, I question whether Apple would continue the 1Password for Business model. They don't do Enterprise products well.

I suspect that the idea of acquisition is more fantasy than supported by facts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ShinyDren and Mandolynda
BigMcGuire said:
Exactly, and the fact that it works on Windows in IE/Chrome. I can put my secret questions into the 1Password entry -- huge for those sites that always ask you those "secret questions" and what not.

The subscription I was initially against because I had bought the standalone app - which worked fine for years after they started the subscription. But I went subscription because it makes sharing passwords with my wife (who now has 1Password) easy. My sister, friend, and bother now are on my "family" plan as well. They all contribute a little $/year to make the cost almost nothing for me. Each have full 1Password abilities and private password vaults.
Click to expand...
how about security? how is 1password secure? Isn't it just easy to hack in and have all your life stolen from you?
 
And I just bought the version 7 upgrades for Mac and Windows, not sure I’d be happy about this, certainly not if the Windows version disappears.
 
Please, don't acquire. I cant think of the last time Apple acquiring a program made it better. **cough** Siri **cough** Beats **cough**
 
Freida said:
how about security? how is 1password secure? Isn't it just easy to hack in and have all your life stolen from you?
Click to expand...

https://1password.com/security/

I've used LastPass for years and went full 1Password last year after using 1Password (standalone) and Lastpass for 6? years.

1Password encrypts the data based on a master password (mine is > 32 characters long) and only I know the master password (not 1Password). They use a combination of the master password, secret key, and 2 factor authentication to encrypt the data. I have 2 factor authentication turned on as well.

LastPass was similar with their master password and salting the encryption x amount of times and 2 factor authentication.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ShinyDren and Freida
I could definitely see this happening. The last few releases of iOS have included more integration with password managers (iCloud Keychain, Safari autofill in apps, and iOS 12 will extend that keyboard autofill to 3rd-party password managers too).

It looks like Apple really wants to do something in this area. The trickiest part is that Apple likes to keep the best experience for its own platforms, but people obviously want their passwords and other confidential information to be available from any device in an emergency (e.g. I have credit-card details and a copy of my passport in my 1Password vault).

At a minimum they could keep the web interface alive via iCloud.com. I expect the Windows/Android apps could be rewritten as pure browser plugins for lower maintenance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
As a loyal user of 1Password, I don't get what Apple would gain from this.
  • 1P allows you to do things like store secure notes - which Apple already has with the notes app
  • Or to store credit cards - which Apple already does in Safari.
  • And of course store passwords and apply them on websites - which Apple already does with keychain and safari
  • UX for password management - which Apple already has an inferior version of in Safari. I do not believe this is inferior because Apple can't or hasn't put effort into it, but because Apple doesn't see password/form fill management as something normal people will do, and instead is trying to build a system that doesn't require it. Given the choice, Apple will avoid adding user management tasks - see how they have not added a Keychain equivalent app to iOS.
  • TOTP support for 2FA - which is an open standard Apple could add and deploy alongside their new SMS OTP keyboard functionality. There is no advantage from 1P's code here.
  • It gives you password hygiene help like using strong generated passwords, one per site - which apple is adding in the next release.
  • You get cross-platform support - which Apple could care less about (and people are freaking out in this forum because they think Apple would kill it)
  • Existing customer base - Apple would never use or care about this. I would expect everything apple offers around security to be free.
  • Talent acquisition - but AgileBits is not going to be a cheap company to buy, and doesn't really have any specialized experience over any of the other password management companies. Plus, I would imagine 90% of the company would be unneeded by Apple and would be offered similar positions elsewhere or be terminated.
The one interesting feature would be team/family support for sharing passwords. Apple could want this, but they could build this probably more easily than integrating the feature into Apple software.

If there is a deal here, I think it is because Apple sees pushing employees toward using a password manager to make Apple more secure, and if they are giving away subscriptions then it is also a nice employee perk to let them add their families as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HopefulHumanist, k.alexander, picaman and 2 others
They all say they are happily independent and plan to remain so, till suddenly they are eaten up.

However, considering the focus on security and privacy by Apple, we might see an Apple version of 1Password if they decide to eat it up. This won't just be sidelined. They will build on it and integrate it systemwide on both iOS and macOS, if they ever buy 1Password.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
Four oF NINE said:
Unauthorized persons cannot access 1Password contents even if the device is unlocked without 1Password master password, it's another level of security if nothing else.
Click to expand...

It’s the same with Keychain...you need your face/finger/passcode to get into the phone, and then again to get into the passwords section or autofill. On a Mac, you need the master password twice to access passwords.
[doublepost=1531238782][/doublepost]
benjamintm said:
  • Windows Support
  • Android Support
  • Two-Factor support
  • Family shared password vaults
  • A real user interface :)
Click to expand...

But Apple does two-factor support better than others (as long as you only have Apple devices). The cross-platform thing is the only upside I can see with this, and Apple has never been big on cross-platform.
 
I love 1Password and I pay for the cloud based service so that I can access it on any computer I use. It comes in handy pretty often and I can use the web app at work since my company won't let me install the windows app.
[doublepost=1531238925][/doublepost]
jarman92 said:
It’s the same with Keychain...you need your face/finger/passcode to get into the phone, and then again to get into the passwords section or autofill. On a Mac, you need the master password twice to access passwords.
[doublepost=1531238782][/doublepost]

But Apple does two-factor support better than others (as long as you only have Apple devices). The cross-platform thing is the only upside I can see with this, and Apple has never been big on cross-platform.
Click to expand...

How does Apple keychain incorporate 2 factor app authentication support? It's well known that 2 factor sms is not nearly as secure as app authentication. Family shared passwords is still missing from keychain as well.

That and keychain is a jumbled mess. Have you ever actually tried to open the keychain app? It's a disaster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back