Apple has introduced a game changing new feature to its Wallet application with the iOS 16 release that is still in beta testing. This new functionality opens up Wallet’s digital identity capabilities. It finally places Wallet beyond the new and shiny payment mechanism, or magically happy ticket holder. This latest update gives users a private, protected vault to keep all their digital identities stored — with U.S. passport info included. According to Apple, these digital IDs won’t be used to replace in-person passports anytime soon.
The Wallet app has come a long way since its first iterations. At this early stage, it quite literally supports the biggest picture of use cases. Besides holding digital boarding passes, users can now store car keys and transit passes. As of now, Wallet supports vehicle keys for 29 manufacturers and more than 300 different vehicle models. Get the scoop on transit in more than 250 regions and 800 cities worldwide. This extensive coverage helps improve user convenience, which is a crucial factor in public transit ridership.
Besides the digital ID aspect, Apple pointed to its hotel room key victories. As of today, more than 2 million hotel room keys have been issued via the Wallet app. This cutting-edge mobile app now works with over 65,000 hotels. This integration further underscores Apple’s commitment to convenience. It highlights their commitment to protecting users in every aspect of their daily lives.
One of those extremely impressive stats that went under the radar during the presentation was Apple’s own statistic concerning Apple Pay adoption growth. When it was rolled out 11 years ago, just 3% of U.S. retailers accepted the payment technology. Today, that number has skyrocketed to 90%, showing just how fast consumer behavior is changing when it comes to mobile payments. This trend serves as a testament to the growing confidence in, and adoption of, digital wallets in our everyday retail experiences.
Digital IDs coming to Wallet would similarly make users’ travels smoother and safer. Longer term, travelers will be able to store their identification digitally, letting them pass through TSA checkpoints with unprecedented speed. This innovation tremendously speeds up the security process at airports. This expansion comes on the heels of new enforcement of Real ID rules that began in May. This means that numerous state-issued IDs are no longer compliant with airport security.