Google tests fingerprint login on macOS and Android via WebAuthn in Chrome beta

Google has released a beta of version 70 of its Chrome browser, in which it tests fingerprint authentication in macOS and Android via WebAuthn. By using this standard, users can, for example, log in to an online service with their fingerprint.

Google writes that on macOS it will enable Touch ID by default for use with Web Authentication, as WebAuthn is also referred to. On Android, that’s the fingerprint scanner. In the new beta of Chrome 70, it will enable WebAuthn support by default on its mobile operating system. This has been the case with the desktop version since version 67.

Web Authentication was elevated to Candidate Recommendation by the W3C in April and should not only allow logging in with a fingerprint, but also, for example, via an external device such as a smartphone. In that case, for example, the PIN code of the device is sufficient. Other browsers are also working on implementation.

The new Chrome version also brings other changes. For example, Google says developers can experiment with the Shape Detection API for recognizing faces, barcodes and text. In addition, support for tls 1.3 is introduced, as is for Web Bluetooth on Windows 10. This api makes it possible to communicate with bluetooth devices via the browser, instead of via apps.