Twitter has just rolled out a new service for developers to integrate into their apps called Digits, which should make it more secure for consumers to sign into apps and services. Rather than complex usernames and passwords, Digits hopes to simplify the sign in process by using your phone number and an SMS verification to allow you to log in.
Announced at Twitter's Flight developer conference, Digits could be a good tool in the developing market where many don't possess a computer nor have an email address for a username to log in to services and apps. These people do have a mobile phone and a phone number, and Digits will tap that to make logins more secure. In a way, it's similar to two-step authentication.
TechCrunch says of the service:
To implement Digits, developers only have to put in a few lines of code into their apps, and then they have a viable alternative to password-based logins, or even Facebook or Google's authentication mechanisms, if they choose.
Three apps are listed as supporting Digits at launch: Fitstar, Resy, and OneFootball.
Source: Digits, Twitter
