Apple is preparing to automatically update Apple IDs using two-factor authentication technology this summer, provided that you have the beta versions of macOS High Sierra and iOS 11 and have two-step verification enabled.
Tech giants like Microsoft and Google already offer similar solutions, while Microsoft has its authenticator app available on several platforms with the aim of providing easier and more secure access to accounts.
Apple says the change will take place this summer and will continue with the stable versions of the platforms expected to launch in the fall.
Confused? Let's start from the beginning... Apple has said it plans to automatically enable two-factor authentication on devices running beta software that already have two-step verification enabled. This means that iPhones or Macs that don't have the feature enabled won't be affected.
So, why make these changes and what are the differences between two-step verification and two-factor authentication?
Two-step verification was implemented by Cupertino to Apple ID and iCloud accounts in 2013 for better security and to provide users with an extra step in protecting their accounts.
Two-factor authentication moves up the security pyramid by fully addressing the Apple ecosystem by providing additional security systems as there are many devices that use Apple software. Two-factor authentication first came to the Apple world in 2015 and is available on iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS and Apple websites and is based on verification codes generated by a special application that runs on devices running on these platforms.
