It comes less than a week after leaked material revealed that Apple would finally support ID cards and driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet. But instead of letting the rumors continue, Apple issued a press release today announcing that the feature will be rolling out soon. There’s even a registration link on the DMV page.
The page that was circulating last week is finally online. Now, you can visit the Apple Wallet website to learn how to add your ID card to the app. Apple will walk you through why you want to implement this feature. It was mentioned that it is much easier to “prove your age and identity” in person in situations such as bars and concerts, renting a car, or verifying age when delivering alcohol. Those ones yes convenient! The ID feature is available on iPhone and Apple Watch.
Apple goes out of its way to remind users that additional privacy and security features are enabled for this feature. Apple said only the national issuer will see the information needed to verify the digital use of the ID card. All data is then encrypted on the device and there is no tracking mechanism by Apple or the state where you use the card. Think of this as a physical card; it’s just tied directly to your phone rather than sitting dormant in your wallet. For this reason, Apple’s support page will remind you to remove your digital authorization or state ID from your iPhone when you switch to another iPhone.
The same support page also reveals the verification process. Your iPhone prompts you to complete a series of head and facial movements to confirm your identity. This is to establish that you are a three-dimensional character and not a representation of yourself. “For example,” Apple says, “you might be asked to smile or turn your head to the right.” Once you’ve done that, the iPhone will ask you to take a selfie in front of a plain, neutral background.
ID cards in Apple Wallet are currently available in five states, including Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland and Ohio. California will become the sixth state to be added to the list. The rollout will first take place as part of California’s mobile driver’s license program before being rolled out to the rest of the state.
