Apple has confirmed the rollout of digital ID cards to iOS 15 won’t happen until 2022.
In an update to the iOS 15 website (spied by MacRumors), Apple says the ID card feature will now drop early next year.
First announced at WWDC 2021 for iPhone users in the United States, the feature will eventually allow users to add their drivers license or state ID to the Wallet App.
The idea is to enable iPhone owners to use their phone when they need to show ID for the purposes of domestic travel and, later down the line, to prove their age and identity at retailers and venues like theatres and concert halls.
While Apple Wallet app has largely made it possible for users to leave their physical wallet and credit cards at home in many cases, it’s still necessary to have a drivers’ license with you if you need to prove your identity.
Apple is working with individual states on the project – thus far including Arizona and Georgia, and Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma and Utah – with the Transport Security Administration in the United States pledging to accept them.
When the app rolls out it’ll be a case of holding the phone over a reader in a similar way we do with mobile boarding passes. It’s also compatible with Apple Watch, meaning the iPhone can stay holstered.
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Apple hasn’t said when the feature will now arrive, but we were looking forward to seeing how this worked. If it’s a success, it’s probably Apple will look to bring the feature to other countries, with the UK potentially among them, pending government approval.
Apple is currently testing iOS 15.2 before the end of the year and the digital ID feature is nowhere to be seen within the beta versions, is it’s not surprising it’s being delayed until 2022.
Would you like to be able to store a digital ID on your phone and truly consign your wallet to history? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
