Apple announces first states for driver’s licenses and Wallet credentials



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A man uses his cell phone as he walks past the advertisement for the new iPhones outside the Apple Store in Hong Kong.

Philippe Fong | AFP | Getty Images

Eight states will deploy a feature allowing users to add driver’s license and state credentials to Apple Wallet for iPhone and Apple Watch for use at security checks at participating airports, Apple said Wednesday.

Arizona and Georgia are the first states to roll out the feature and Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma and Utah will follow, although the company has not specified a timeline.

The news comes just months after Apple said it was working on the feature and with the US Transportation Security Administration to allow the option at airport security lines. Apple said the feature is a critical step in its plan to replace physical wallets and will provide more convenience for travelers looking for contactless airport travel.

Adding credentials to the Wallet app works the same as downloading credit cards and tickets, Apple said. Once users have scanned the ID, they will also be prompted to perform face and head movements as an added safety measure.

After users type in their mobile ID on identity readers at airports, they will be asked to approve a TSA rating using Face ID or Touch ID. The company claims that customer data is “encrypted and protected against tampering and theft” and that the ID can only be viewed by the owner.

Apple last year launched Mobile Student IDs to allow students to access campus buildings and make purchases without a physical card, a feature extended to some Canadian universities this summer.

The new feature will be available with an iPhone software update slated for release later this fall.

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