In WWDC 2019, Apple introduced a new third-party login service named Sign-in-With-Apple. This feature enables users to sign-into applications with the help of Apple-ID. 

Updated Review Guidelines for Apple Developers

Apple has made Sign-in-With-Apple mandatory for all the platforms providing any third-party login services like Facebook, Google, Linkedin, etc. within their application. From Apple 2020, every iOS App that allows you to sign in with other accounts from Google, Twitter, and Facebook, will also be required to offer Sign-in-With-Apple.

If you want to deploy a new version of the application in which third-party login services are available, except Sign-in-With-Apple, then your application will be rejected. 

For more information check 4.8 no. from the official page of Apple:

https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/

Why Sign-in-With-Apple is Required?

Apple holds prominence, as a brand, due to the security it provides its users. More often than not, every prospective customer chooses to migrate to the brand due to its security & privacy reasons. 

Sign-In with Apple is just another step towards stricter security and encourage consumer trust. Instead of using any other social media accounts or filling out lengthy forms, it allows a very quick and easy sign-in without sharing any of the personal information except your name & email ID.

Apple also provides an option to hide email ID without affecting to send emails from the application feature.

How Sign-in-With-Apple is Secure?

A lot of mobile applications have implemented the Two-Factor Authentication feature to tighten the security of their user’s accounts. 

Apple has also implemented this feature in Sign-In with Apple to safe-guard against any hacking of individual accounts. Such authentication works as additional protection for users by using the Touch ID and Face ID. 

Privacy At The Most

By now, we have established that privacy is one of the major reasons for the introduction of Sing-in with Apple. Many third-party logins take users’ information and use it for tracking their activities. This new feature by Apple collects very limited data from its users.

While signing-in on any platform, it is allowed to ask for a name and email address only. Yet another feature from Apple called Hide-My-Email, allows users to hide their email ID. They can receive useful emails from the application with the help of Apple’s private email-relay services.

Benefits

• Sign-in with Apple is very secure because of Two-Factor Authentication. 
• Sign-in happens without any personal information except the name and email address.
• Hide-My-Email hides email addresses without affecting any functionality of any application or website.
• Apple’s Private Email-Relay Service creates a unique random email address for the user and forwards it to the user’s actual email address.
• Only registered developers can identify the email address to use it for sending useful emails. 
• This works everywhere in native platforms like iOS, Mac OS, tv OS & watch OS. Also, it works on other platforms like Android, Windows, any of the websites, etc.

Requirements To Sign-In-With-Apple

• To Sign-in-With-Apple from any mobile platform, you must have an Apple ID with Two-Factor authentication enabled. 
• Apple ID must be signed-in in any of the Apple devices to get the verification code. You can verify it using Touch ID / Face ID / Text message on a registered phone number.
• Sign-in with Apple is only available on the devices with the latest software; iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, watchOS 6 or later, macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, and tvOS 13 or later. It is also compatible with participating websites in Safari. 
• You can integrate Sign-in with Apple in other web browsers and other platforms like Android, Windows, etc.

Note: Sign-in-With-Apple is not available for children under 13 years old. This age may vary by country or region.

The Process To Sign-In-With-Apple Device

• If your application has any third-party login services, then you have to add the Sign-in-With-Apple button on the login screen.
• Apple provides a specific UI for the button.
• By  clicking on the Sign-in button, you will get the below popup with information from Apple with the Continue button.

• If you are not already signed-in with Apple ID in a device, then you will be asked to create an Apple ID first
• If you have already logged in with Apple ID in your device, a popup will appear with the details that you might have included with your Apple ID. As shown below, you will be asked to edit your name if you wish.

• For email address, you can see two options:
  • Share My Email
  • Hide My Email
• If you choose the Share-My-Email option, then developers can get your actual email address.
• But if you select the Hide-My-Email option, then Apple will generate a unique email ID for your Apple ID like gsyebud@privaterelay.appleid.com. All emails from the application will be forwarded to your actual Apple ID email.
• Click on the Continue button and complete the sign-in process using Touch ID / Face ID / Passcode / by entering the password of your Apple ID.

• To sign in again, you just need to tap on the Sign-in button and you are done.

The Process To Sign-in-With-Apple On Other Platforms

• If your application is also available in Android and has a website for the same, then you can implement Sign-in-With-Appleee on those platforms as well.
• Add Sign-in-With-Apple button on the website page or in the login screen of Android application 
• Once you click that button, Apple secure page will open and ask you to fill-in Apple ID and Password. 
• Initially, you will be asked for a Two-Factor verification code from your trusted Apple Device.
• After entering that code, you can check filled information for your details like name and email address. From that page, you can edit your name and choose an option for an email address, i.e., Share-Email or Hide-Email.
• By clicking on the Continue button, the sign-in process will complete.

Conclusion

Apple has made this feature mandatory for all the mobile applications that use third-party login services, so the above information can be very useful for iOS Application Development Companies and also for Mobile Application Developers.   

At Zealousweb, our iOS developers have started implementing Sign-in-With-Apple in our iOS Applications. Mobile Application Developers have to be up to date with the latest changes by Apple. 

If you are a Mobile Application Developer and want to know the steps behind implementing this functionality programmatically, then watch this space because we will be posting a fool-proof guide for carrying out the same. Stay tuned!