The Face ID and Touch ID features on Apple devices will soon be much more useful on the web. As TechCrunch reports, Apple has outlined how Safari 14 for iOS, iPadOS and macOS will allow using those biometric authentication methods for "frictionless" sign-ins on websites. You may not have to enter your username and password (or rely on a password manager) after the first time you punch them in. The approach is built on the familiar Web Authentication (WebAuthn) framework from the FIDO2 spec. It's been used for biometric sign-ins in the past, but Safari 14 will clearly expand that technology to a large portion of the Apple ecosystem once web developers make use of it.

Instagram and Messenger could soon follow WhatsApp in introducing encrypted messaging as part of Facebook's plan to unify its app empire. In the meantime, WhatsApp is adding an extra layer of privacy on iOS with support for Touch ID and Face ID. The update (version 2.19.20) allows users to lock their messages behind their iPhone's biometric authentication features. You can switch it on by heading in to settings, selecting Account, Privacy and "enable Lock Screen." You'll then be able to set a time limit immediately, after a minute, 15 minutes or 1 hour.