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miamialley

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 28, 2008
3,590
1,056
California, USA
How’d it go? Did they scan it? Did they ask for your phone? Did you give them your phone? Would you use the wallet app for that purpose again? What happened?
 
Absolutely not. That feature is currently only valid at TSA at U.S. airports.

What you and I and others here are wanting it to do is still many years out.
 
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How’d it go? Did they scan it? Did they ask for your phone? Did you give them your phone? Would you use the wallet app for that purpose again? What happened?
Not happening anytime soon. It clearly states in Arizona's DMV site that you need to carry your state issued drivers license even with the digital ID. I would assume it's the same in other states that have it. TSA is the only one accepting it at this time and only at certain airports
 
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Absolutely not. That feature is currently only valid at TSA at U.S. airports.

What you and I and others here are wanting it to do is still many years out.
There are three states allow your license to be on the Wallet app. Colorado, Maryland and Arizona.
 

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It's going to vary state by state, but here's Colorado's info: https://mycolorado.gov/colorado-digital-id

Key points (for Colorado):
  1. You're still required to carry your physical ID until legislation is passed stating it's no longer required.
  2. They scan a QR code to share the data, and an internet connection is required for this. If there is no internet connection, then you'll need to show your physical ID.
  3. If an officer suspects your digital ID not genuine, they'll ask for your physical one. They cannot take your phone.
  4. Only authorized for in-state use, until Mobile Driver License (mDL) and federal REAL ID Act standards for digital licenses are clarified.
 
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It's going to vary state by state, but here's Colorado's info: https://mycolorado.gov/colorado-digital-id

Key points (for Colorado):
  1. You're still required to carry your physical ID until legislation is passed stating it's no longer required.
  2. They scan a QR code to share the data, and an internet connection is required for this. If there is no internet connection, then you'll need to show your physical ID.
  3. If an officer suspects your digital ID not genuine, they'll ask for your physical one. They cannot take your phone.
  4. Only authorized for in-state use, until Mobile Driver License (mDL) and federal REAL ID Act standards for digital licenses are clarified.
Just seems really pointless right now.
 
I have it on mine but as others have mentioned you still need the physical ID other than for TSA. I will mention for those in one of the 3 states that allow this that if you do install this there is also the option to have it on your Apple Watch. If you get a new phone it must be removed manually from both devices if you plan to have it again on the new phone. Otherwise when you go to set it up on the new phone it will tell you that it cannot be because it is still installed on another device - the watch - even if the watch was un-paired from the old phone. It will give you options for contacting your MVA and you must have an account established and you will have to go through multiple identity verifications and wait a couple days before it is authorized.

When I originally set it up on my phone it only took a couple minutes before it was authorized. It did get a scan of my face which must match your DL but that all happens quickly. Getting a new device you must be careful in how you proceed. I’m keeping it off my watch for now since it really isn’t that useful.
 
I don’t expect IDs in Wallet to be able to fully replace a physical ID in every situation, just like how Apple Pay can’t replace a physical card in every situation.

The technology to actually have the readers to either decrypt the ID or accept the specific data points requested is expensive. It’s not like a department can just buy each officer and trooper an iPhone SE and just start reading IDs. You need specialized hardware. The simple fact is that there are going to be some jurisdictions that simply do not get the funding to accept digital IDs.

Also, think about major North American brands who are holding out on allowing contactless payments in their stores. You don’t think there are going to be governments that do the same? There are going to be state governments who reject the open ID standard in exchange for their own proprietary systems, and local governments who turn their nose for one reason or another.

The benefit of IDs in Wallet is almost exclusively for convenience, like a TSA checkpoint or confirming you’re over 18/21 for something. It’s unrealistic to think digital anything (in terms of IDing like your driver’s license, passport, etc.) will replace physical versions entirely until there’s basically a federal mandate requiring identical implementation, which I doubt will happen.
 
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I don’t expect IDs in Wallet to be able to fully replace a physical ID in every situation, just like how Apple Pay can’t replace a physical card in every situation.

The technology to actually have the readers to either decrypt the ID or accept the specific data points requested is expensive. It’s not like a department can just buy each officer and trooper an iPhone SE and just start reading IDs. You need specialized hardware. The simple fact is that there are going to be some jurisdictions that simply do not get the funding to accept digital IDs.

Also, think about major North American brands who are holding out on allowing contactless payments in their stores. You don’t think there are going to be governments that do the same? There are going to be state governments who reject the open ID standard in exchange for their own proprietary systems, and local governments who turn their nose for one reason or another.

The benefit of IDs in Wallet is almost exclusively for convenience, like a TSA checkpoint or confirming you’re over 18/21 for something. It’s unrealistic to think digital anything (in terms of IDing like your driver’s license, passport, etc.) will replace physical versions entirely until there’s basically a federal mandate requiring identical implementation, which I doubt will happen.
Maybe not soon, but eventually it will happen. At one point it was expensive for every company to have a telephone, but as the technology became more common and cheaper, every company now has a telephone. Same for computers, same for internet, same for automobiles. I can’t even remember the last time I had to use a physical credit card. ApplePay is everywhere now, which seemed like it was far away from happen just 5 years ago, but here we are.
 
Maybe not soon, but eventually it will happen. At one point it was expensive for every company to have a telephone, but as the technology became more common and cheaper, every company now has a telephone. Same for computers, same for internet, same for automobiles. I can’t even remember the last time I had to use a physical credit card. ApplePay is everywhere now, which seemed like it was far away from happen just 5 years ago, but here we are.

You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying.

Phones haven’t replaced written communication. Cars haven’t replaced other forms of transportation.

Please note, I didn’t say “common”, or “popular”. I said “replace”. I’m also not speaking on the level of an individual. I haven’t used my physical card in a store in YEARS (even before Apple Pay, as I had Android), but we have not completely eliminated physical cards. Every single bank and credit institution issues a physical card. We still have them. Situations where Apple Pay isn’t helpful would be, for example getting the Card Number and other details or presenting the physical card when required (some businesses and governments require them for identification purposes. Keep in mind spending money in something like a police budget is dictated by more than just pure dollar cost. Even if the system becomes cheap, doesn’t automatically mean there’s an incentive for the police to invest. We’ll always be issued physical IDs and there will always be cases, even if fringe and niche, that make it so we still have to have issued physical cards.

These COULD be overcome by mandating it through legislation, but that simply won’t happen without a major paradigm shift in politics.

There will always be a police department that’s not funded enough to get the equipment, and there will always be local governments against adopting the technology either because of political spite or funding.
 
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You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying.

Phones haven’t replaced written communication. Cars haven’t replaced other forms of transportation.

Please note, I didn’t say “common”, or “popular”. I said “replace”. I’m also not speaking on the level of an individual. I haven’t used my physical card in a store in YEARS (even before Apple Pay, as I had Android), but we have not completely eliminated physical cards. Every single bank and credit institution issues a physical card. We still have them. Situations where Apple Pay isn’t helpful would be, for example getting the Card Number and other details or presenting the physical card when required (some businesses and governments require them for identification purposes. Keep in mind spending money in something like a police budget is dictated by more than just pure dollar cost. Even if the system becomes cheap, doesn’t automatically mean there’s an incentive for the police to invest. We’ll always be issued physical IDs and there will always be cases, even if fringe and niche, that make it so we still have to have issued physical cards.

These COULD be overcome by mandating it through legislation, but that simply won’t happen without a major paradigm shift in politics.

There will always be a police department that’s not funded enough to get the equipment, and there will always be local governments against adopting the technology either because of political spite or funding.
Exactly. Besides, you never know when your phone decides to give up the ghost. You can't beat the good old plastic card - works every time, no batteries or 4G network required.
 
I can’t even remember the last time I had to use a physical credit card. ApplePay is everywhere now, which seemed like it was far away from happen just 5 years ago, but here we are.
Gas pumps? Small businesses? I use ApplePay when I can, but the readers are definitely not universal yet…
 
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