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Big iPhone Update on the Way With Digital Driver's License Support

We’ve known for a while that Apple was working on making the iPhone a modern replacement to a driver’s license or state ID, and now it looks like the company is getting ready to make a big step in this regard.
Apple will soon support digital driver's licenses 6 photos
Photo: Apple
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The most recent beta build of iOS, the operating system powering the iPhone, includes evidence that Apple is preparing for the release of support for digital driver licenses.

In other words, the smartphone will allow drivers to enroll their licenses in the Wallet app, just like a regular credit card, and then use the iPhone whenever the document is required.

Apple originally said this feature would go live in 2022 as part of an iOS 15 update, and the timing seems to align with the company’s initial plans. However, it goes without saying the support for digital driver's licenses will be adopted gradually, as the authorities in each state must allow it in the first place.

For example, Florida, Louisiana, Colorado, and a bunch of other states already support digital IDs using their very own apps, but it’s believed they could add support for Apple’s system as well.

The Cupertino-based iPhone maker said Arizona and Georgia would be the first states where the new capability will go live, with several others, including Utah, Kentucky, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, and Oklahoma to follow at a later time.

At this point, this new iOS update doesn’t have an ETA, as its development is still in the beta phase. However, users can already try it out by enrolling in the public beta program, though you should keep in mind that the support for a digital driver’s license isn’t yet live.

Most likely, Apple will enable this feature in a future beta, before rolling it out for everyone out there in the stable version of iOS 15.4. If everything goes according to the plan, we should expect the new iOS update to be finalized by the end of this month.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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