UPDATED 23:01 EST / MARCH 23 2022

APPS

Arizona becomes first state to support driver’s licenses and state ID inside Apple Wallet

Owners of an iPhone in the state of Arizona will now be able to upload their driver’s license and state ID to the Apple Wallet, it was announced today, and it will soon become available in other U.S. states.

“Starting today, Arizonans can add their driver’s license or state ID to Wallet and tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to seamlessly and securely present it at select TSA security checkpoints in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport,” Apple said in a press release. Unfortunately, the wallet won’t work after someone is pulled over at a traffic stop.

Apple said the states to follow “soon” will be Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah, as well as the territory of Puerto Rico. That’s in line with Apple’s strategy to move more physical items, including credit cards, out of the regular wallet and into Apple’s digital wallet, thereby encouraging people to stay with their iPhone rather than switch to an Android device.

Right now, the process of going over to digital ID in Arizona is simple enough. Users can open the Wallet and take photographs, front and back, of their IDs to upload. After that, they’ll be prompted to take a photo of their face at various angles, and they’re done.

Apple itself won’t approve the process, which will be left to the state of Arizona. This agreement, according to various sources, won’t come at a cost for Apple.

When at an airport, users won’t have to ever hand over their device, explained Apple, although TSA will be required to take a photo of the traveler.

“Once added to Wallet, users can present their driver’s license or state ID to the TSA at participating airport security checkpoints by simply tapping their iPhone or Apple Watch at the identity reader,” the company said. “On their iPhone or Apple Watch, users will be shown which information is requested by the TSA, and can consent to provide it with Face ID or Touch ID, without having to unlock their iPhone or show their ID card.”

Photo: Apple

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