Last April, Google introduced a feature that allowed an Android device to be used as a security key for authentication on Chrome OS, macOS, and Windows 10 devices. It has now managed to further extend this capability to also include iOS devices.
Naturally, the way of implementing this could not be the same as the other software. iOS devices have a particular way of operating and therefore Google had to adapt to it. In this case, the Android phone connects to Apple’s device, using Google’s Smart Lock application.
Once you're signed in to your Google account on an iOS device, the Smart Lock app is able to ping your Android phone over Bluetooth. Users are then required to confirm that they know the process. That is, in effect, it's both an attempt to connect the Android device, which then relays that information to the iOS device and allows the connection to continue.
Given that, as we mentioned earlier, the operation of iOS is somewhat more complex, the operation of the security key could not be any less complex. This is also the reason why it was necessary to add the capability of using an Android phone, making access to the security key more accessible.
Many people wonder why someone would want to unlock an iOS device with an Android. According to Google, this feature could be used by someone with an iPad and an Android phone, for example. It's also possible that someone with two mobile devices, an iPhone and an Android, could use it.
The rollout of this feature has already begun and we are all awaiting the first impressions.
