With the changing and improving technologies there is concern (or at least some thoughts regarding) that with the rise of smart phones will bring about the end of text-based passwords.
With their touch screens, built-in microphones and cameras, the devices themselves can be programmed for biometric security checks, such as using handwriting, face or voice as identifiers. It is estimated that by 2016 there will be 1 billion smart phones will be in use around the world.
The increasing demand for ever more-secure log-ins is spurring additional testing and experimentation. One investment firm, Vanguard, is testing out voice recognition software for its customers, for example. Facial recognition can be used to unlock the latest Android-based smart phones.
Because passwords are cheap, simple and people are already trained, so they won’t disappear completely in the near future. More likely, a two-step procedure that requires an initial password and then another a one-time-use code that is sent to your mobile phone may become the norm.