Apple Unveils Innovative Digital ID for Enhanced User Convenience
WASHINGTON (TNND) — Apple has elevated the Digital ID paradigm by enabling users to establish an ID in Apple Wallet utilizing their U.S. passport details.
This groundbreaking feature was unveiled on Wednesday, as the company launched Digital ID, which is heralded as a secure and discreet method for sharing passport information via an iPhone or Apple Watch.
The initial beta rollout of Digital ID will occur at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints across more than 250 U.S. airports.
This feature will facilitate in-person identity verification for domestic travelers. Apple has indicated that further use cases for Digital ID will be announced in due course.
“With the launch of Digital ID, we’re excited to expand the ways users can store and present their identity — all with the security and privacy built into iPhone and Apple Watch,” stated Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
“Since we introduced the option to add a driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet in 2022, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Digital ID broadens access to secure and convenient identity options for an even larger demographic across the nation, allowing users to integrate an ID into Wallet using details from their U.S. passport.”
With Digital ID, only the essential information required for a transaction is disclosed; users can review and authorize the requested information prior to sharing.
The introduction of Digital ID presents an additional avenue for users to create and display their identification, particularly for those lacking a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID.
Notably, Apple emphasized that Digital ID does not serve as a substitute for a physical passport and is not valid for international travel or border crossings.
This initiative follows the earlier announcement by Apple, which allowed users to add eligible driver’s licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet. Should users lack a U.S. passport for the Digital ID setup, they still have the option to integrate an eligible driver’s license.
Currently, users can add a driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet in 12 states and Puerto Rico. For a comprehensive list of participating states, click here.
In the preceding six months, this feature has been extended to Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia, and made its international debut in Japan with the My Number Card on iPhone.
Additionally, the company released tutorial videos demonstrating the process of adding a Digital ID to Apple Wallet and utilizing it effectively.
Users can seamlessly create a Digital ID using their U.S. passport.
Users can present their Digital IDs with their iPhone or Apple Watch.
Looking ahead, Apple anticipates that future applications of the Digital ID will encompass identity and age verification at various select businesses and organizations, both in-person and online. Details regarding the specific businesses involved have yet to be disclosed.
The company asserts that Digital ID data is encrypted and incorporates the advanced privacy and security mechanisms already inherent in Apple devices, safeguarding against tampering and unauthorized access.
Source link: Komonews.com.
