Microsoft is putting one more nail in the coffin of the password with the announcement of a new feature in Windows 10, dubbed “Windows Hello,” that will let users log in to their PCs and tablets using facial or iris recognition, in addition to fingerprints.
The technology, announced this morning, will also work in conjunction with a feature code-named “Passport” — sound familiar, Microsoft historians? — that will authenticate users to let them sign into apps and websites on their devices.
“Windows Hello offers enterprise-grade security that will meet the requirements of organizations with some of the strictest requirements and regulations,” writes Microsoft Windows exec Joe Belfiore in a post announcing the features. “It’s a solution that government, defense, financial, health care and other related organizations will use to enhance their overall security, with a simple experience designed to delight.
Here’s a Microsoft video showing how it will work.
Microsoft announced the new features as part of the buildup to the Windows 10 release later this year. The features will require specialized hardware, such as a fingerprint reader, infrared sensor or other biometric features.
Device makers will now have a chance to incorporate and test the required technology in advance of the Windows 10 release. Belfiore notes that Microsoft is already working with hardware companies on the feature, to make sure devices supporting Windows Hello are available at launch. Systems incorporating Intel’s RealSense 3D Camera will work with the facial and iris recognition in Windows Hello.
