News

Passwords Are No Longer Required To Sign Into Google Accounts

Google will allow users to replace passwords and 2FA with passkeys.

Published

2 years ago

May 4, 2023

Nour Nasir

Google

Google has taken a step towards a passwordless future, announcing that passkey functionality is being added to all Google accounts.

Passkeys are cryptographic tools that allow users to ditch passwords and two-factor verification when signing in. Google, along with Apple and Microsoft, are keen to push the technology, which uses a local PIN or a device’s biometric tools such as fingerprint scanners or Face ID.

Biometric data from passkeys isn’t shared with third parties and only exists on a user’s device, providing enhanced security since no passwords can be hacked or stolen.

When a passkey is added to a Google account, users will be prompted for it on new sign-ins or when potentially suspicious activity is detected. Passkeys can be stored on any compatible hardware, including iPhones with iOS 16 and Android devices running Android 9 and above. Users can access passkeys on other devices by using services such as iCloud or password managers like 1Password. In addition, Google also allows the following:

Accounts can be accessed temporarily using someone else’s device by selecting “use a passkey from another device” to create a one-time sign-in.
Passkeys can be revoked immediately in the account settings section if a user suspects a security breach, or a device is lost or stolen.
Users of Google’s Advanced Protection Program (a free service providing additional security against phishing and malware) can use passkeys instead of physical security keys.

Also Read: Abu Dhabi Scientists Create Electronic Appetite Regulation Pill

If you’d prefer to log in to your account the traditional way, Google will continue to support regular passwords for the foreseeable future, allowing users without a biometric device to make the change once they eventually upgrade their hardware.

News

Google Releases Veo 2 AI Video Tool To MENA Users

The state-of-the-art video generation model is now available in Gemini, offering realistic AI-generated videos with better physics, motion, and detail.

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2025

Nour Nasir

Google

Starting today, users of Gemini Advanced in the MENA region — and globally — can tap into Veo 2, Google’s next-generation video model.

Originally unveiled in 2024, Veo 2 has now been fully integrated into Gemini, supporting multiple languages including Arabic and English. The rollout now brings Google’s most advanced video AI directly into the hands of everyday users.

Veo 2 builds on the foundations of its predecessor with a more sophisticated understanding of the physical world. It’s designed to produce high-fidelity video content with cinematic detail, realistic motion, and greater visual consistency across a wide range of subjects and styles. Whether recreating natural landscapes, human interactions, or stylized environments, the model is capable of interpreting and translating written prompts into eight-second 720p videos that feel almost handcrafted.

Users can generate content directly through the Gemini platform — either via the web or mobile apps. The experience is pretty straightforward: users enter a text-based prompt, and Veo 2 returns a video in 16:9 landscape format, delivered as an MP4 file. These aren’t just generic clips — they can reflect creative, abstract, or highly specific scenarios, making the tool especially useful for content creators, marketers, or anyone experimenting with visual storytelling.

Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide

To ensure transparency, each video is embedded with SynthID — a digital watermark developed by Google’s DeepMind. The watermark is invisible to the human eye but persists across editing, compression, and sharing. It identifies the video as AI-generated, addressing concerns around misinformation and media authenticity.

While Veo 2 is still in its early phases of public rollout, the technology is part of a broader push by Google to democratize advanced AI tools. With text-to-image, code generation, and now video creation integrated into Gemini, Google is positioning the platform as a full-spectrum creative assistant.

Access to Veo 2 starts today and will continue expanding in the coming weeks. Interested users can try it out at gemini.google.com or through the Gemini app on Android and iOS.