Apple announced that eight states in the US will allow their citizens to use a feature that adds their driver's license and ID to Apple Wallet for iPhone and Apple Watch. Essentially, users will be able to have a digital version of their ID and driver's license on their iPhone, which they can use at airports.
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Arizona and Georgia are the first states to adopt the new feature, with Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah to follow. However , Apple has not given a specific timeline.
The news comes just months after Apple said at its Worldwide Developers Conferencein June that it was working on the feature in partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The addition to Apple Wallet is a major step in Apple's plan to replace physical wallets and provide greater convenience for travelers who can quickly show their ID or driver's license from their iPhone.
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The addition of identity documents to the Apple Wallet app works similarly to uploading credit cards, Apple said. Users scan the ID.
After showing their mobile ID at identity readers at airports, users will have to approve a note from the TSA, using Face ID or Touch ID. Apple says that user data is “encrypted and protected from breaches and theft.”
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Apple currently offers mobile student IDs that allow students to access campus buildings and make purchases without a physical card. This feature became available at more universities in the US and Canada this summer.
The new ID feature will be available with an iPhone software update, set to be released later this fall.
Source: CNBC
