Photo: ADOT
The digital driver's license is a great concept that's progressing way too slowly, not only in the United States but everywhere across the globe.
Apple pioneered the technology with integration into the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone, and Samsung followed in its footsteps with a similar announcement earlier this year.
The South Korean company promised to ship the Samsung Wallet integration for driver's licenses and state IDs before the end of the year, and now it looks like it managed to respect its promise with a better-late-than-never type of announcement.
Drivers in Arizona can add their driver's license in the Samsung Wallet app on a compatible Samsung smartphone and then easily have their documents scanned when requested, including at select TSA checkpoints.
The biggest challenge is to convince state authorities to use the technology, so Samsung's digital ID is currently supported at limited TSA checkpoints, with the company promising to add more states and locations shortly.
Iowa could be the next state to add support for Samsung's digital ID integration, with such news expected in early 2024.
Worth knowing is that Arizona authorities see the mobile driver's license as "optional," adding that the digital version does not replace the physical ID. It's just a companion to the physical document, so you shouldn't leave your driver's license at home just yet.
The digital driver's license integration is secure, with all data, including personal information, encrypted on the mobile device. Users must unlock the app with their fingerprint or PIN before accessing the digital driver's license, and they can quickly scan the document on a TSA digital identity reader.
Setting up the feature is very straightforward, as Samsung designed the process based on a wizard guiding users throughout the entire configuration. You must first open the Samsung Wallet app on a compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone and tap the plus sign to add a new Digital ID. If you live in Arizona, you should see an option for driver's licenses and state IDs.
Using the phone's camera, you can scan the front and back of the document and scan your face to verify the owner. The verification process typically completes in a few seconds, after which the document is stored securely on the mobile device. Only you can access it by having your fingerprint scanned when opening the entry.
While Samsung's new feature is good news for drivers in Arizona, many could find it redundant. Google already supports similar capabilities in this region with the Google Wallet app, so if local drivers want to use a digital driver's license, they can do so with Google's application. Including on Samsung phones, that is.
Google, Samsung, and Apple promised to expand the integration to more regions in the coming years, but it's unclear when the feature could roll out beyond the US markets.
The South Korean company promised to ship the Samsung Wallet integration for driver's licenses and state IDs before the end of the year, and now it looks like it managed to respect its promise with a better-late-than-never type of announcement.
Drivers in Arizona can add their driver's license in the Samsung Wallet app on a compatible Samsung smartphone and then easily have their documents scanned when requested, including at select TSA checkpoints.
The biggest challenge is to convince state authorities to use the technology, so Samsung's digital ID is currently supported at limited TSA checkpoints, with the company promising to add more states and locations shortly.
Iowa could be the next state to add support for Samsung's digital ID integration, with such news expected in early 2024.
Worth knowing is that Arizona authorities see the mobile driver's license as "optional," adding that the digital version does not replace the physical ID. It's just a companion to the physical document, so you shouldn't leave your driver's license at home just yet.
The digital driver's license integration is secure, with all data, including personal information, encrypted on the mobile device. Users must unlock the app with their fingerprint or PIN before accessing the digital driver's license, and they can quickly scan the document on a TSA digital identity reader.
Setting up the feature is very straightforward, as Samsung designed the process based on a wizard guiding users throughout the entire configuration. You must first open the Samsung Wallet app on a compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone and tap the plus sign to add a new Digital ID. If you live in Arizona, you should see an option for driver's licenses and state IDs.
Using the phone's camera, you can scan the front and back of the document and scan your face to verify the owner. The verification process typically completes in a few seconds, after which the document is stored securely on the mobile device. Only you can access it by having your fingerprint scanned when opening the entry.
While Samsung's new feature is good news for drivers in Arizona, many could find it redundant. Google already supports similar capabilities in this region with the Google Wallet app, so if local drivers want to use a digital driver's license, they can do so with Google's application. Including on Samsung phones, that is.
Google, Samsung, and Apple promised to expand the integration to more regions in the coming years, but it's unclear when the feature could roll out beyond the US markets.
Arizonans can now choose to add their driver license or state ID to Samsung Wallet, then present it easily and securely at select TSA checkpoints, including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Visit https://t.co/UI16CUCv3O to learn more. pic.twitter.com/wrnygSPwRf
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) December 20, 2023
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