In September, Apple announced that Arizona would be one of the first states to introduce support for iOS 15 digital IDs to its residents. Today, the feature is finally available. Arizona residents can officially add their driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app, and tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to seamlessly and securely present it at select TSA security checkpoints in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Arizona becomes the first state to support digital IDs in Apple Wallet
Apple announced the launch in a newsroom post:
“We’re thrilled to bring the first driver’s license and state ID in Wallet to Arizona today, and provide Arizonans with an easy, secure, and private way to present their ID when traveling, through just a tap of their iPhone or Apple Watch,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “We look forward to working with many more states and the TSA to bring IDs in Wallet to users across the US.”
Around 30 states have considered adopting Apple’s digital IDs. In today’s press release, Apple announced that Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, Ohio, and the territory of Puerto Rico plan to bring this feature to their residents in addition to previously announced states: Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah.
The initial process of adding a digital ID to Wallet is similar to adding a debit or credit card in the app. But for verification, users will have to take a selfie which will be “securely” sent to the issuing state. And to complete the setup process, users will have to follow a series of facial and head movements. After the issuing state verifies the cardholder’s credentials, the user’s ID or driver’s license will be added to the Wallet app.
Apple has also created a few authentication checks for users to securely present their IDs to TSA. Without handing their device to an official, users will be able to present their ID to the identity reader which will send a prompt on their device to display the specific information being requested by the authority. The iPhone will also seek Face ID or Touch ID authentication to release the information.
Select TSA security checkpoints in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport support digital IDs but we do not know which ones. The tech giant says “Travelers should refer to TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability.”
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