Apple Deploys 1Password for 123,000 Employees, Fuels Rumors of Acquisition

In a move that's creating a lot of speculation, Apple has decided to deploy 1Password to every single one of its 123,000 employees. And now, everyone is asking the same question: is an Apple acquisition of AgileBits, the developers of 1Password, on the horizon?

Online security has become a huge concern around the world. From worldwide data breaches to targeted phishing scams, large companies and concerned individuals alike have begun taking measures to protect their personal information. And now, one of the biggest tech companies in the world has taken a big step in making security a serious priority.

According to an exclusive report from BGR, the partnership between Apple and AngelBits is far from coincidental. An unnamed source informed BGR that the two companies have been working out an arrangement for months to boost security for Apple employees – not only in Cupertino, but also in Apple retail stores.

Apple is even rumored to be providing family plans for employees, allowing up to five family members of each employee access to a free 1Password account. However, according to 1Password's own (semi-sentient?) Twitter handle, any acquisition rumors are decidedly overblown.

But doth the bot protest too much? Despite the Twitter cold water, this kind of Apple investment in 1Password, and therefore AngelBits, demonstrates a clear interest in the underlying software.

So, are the rumors nothing more than Silicon Valley gossip? Or are Apple and 1Password  just playing this acquisition close to the chest?

What Is 1Password?

1Password is one the more popular and best quality password managers on the market today. In addition to its seamless user experience and notably high level of password security, 1Password provides a number of added features, like multiple account capabilities and password generator that make it noticeably better than its rivals.

1Check out our 1Password review to see why we think it's the best password manager around.

With just a single password, you can keep all of your important accounts, like email, social media, and anything else you can think of, under careful lock and key. Plus, with an added backup key that is particularly complicated, you can be sure no one know is going to stumbling upon your important documents.

What Does Apple Want with 1Password?

It is worth noting that this is an entirely internal move for Apple. No, you will not need to come up with a sixteen character backup passcode every time you want to purchase an app in the App Store, nor will you be forced to house all your Apple passwords in a new platform (although that wouldn't be a bad idea).

So far, all we know is that Apple has made a commitment to improved security across their entire company. Until we hear otherwise from Apple, 1Password, or another unnamed source, these rumors of an acquisition are just that: rumors.

But what is fueling these rumors beyond Apple's added interest in 1Password? Well, it could be the fact that Apple's own iCloud KeyChain is kind of a mess.

The Problem with iCloud Keychain

On a basic level, there isn't anything badly wrong with iCloud Keychain. It stores multiple passwords for you, it has a password generator, and stores credit cards and other important information. Unfortunately, the reason it didn't catch on is because password managers like 1Password do all that just a little bit better.

1Password's password generator, for one, is much more powerful. It allows you to customize your password, while iCloud Keychain only generates 15-character password with four groups of three alphanumerical characters.

Plus, 1Password is a cross-platform password manager that is compatibly with Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, and pretty much any other browser out there. Apple's iCloud Keychain is built for Apple platforms only – it's principally aimed at use in the Safari browser.

If Apple were to acquire 1Password, they would not only seriously bolster its own password capabilities, but also get huge population of tech users onto password managers like never before. And, with online security getting more precarious everyday, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have every iPhone user on the planet a little more focused on privacy.

However, until we hear official word, these murmurs of Apple acquiring 1Password are nothing more than delicious rumors.

Interested in getting a password manager for yourself? Check out the Best Password Managers for 2018 on TechCo

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Written by:
Conor is the Lead Writer for Tech.co. For the last six years, he’s covered everything from tech news and product reviews to digital marketing trends and business tech innovations. He's written guest posts for the likes of Forbes, Chase, WeWork, and many others, covering tech trends, business resources, and everything in between. He's also participated in events for SXSW, Tech in Motion, and General Assembly, to name a few. He also cannot pronounce the word "colloquially" correctly. You can email Conor at conor@tech.co.
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