Wallet driver's license support resurfaces in second iOS 15.4 developer beta

AppleInsider

Apple has laid the groundwork to include driver's licenses in the second iOS 15.4 developer beta, with the discovery of a reference to the feature in its code.

Apple released the second developer beta of iOS 15.4 on Tuesday, with the main discovery being elements relating to the just-announced Tap to Pay on iPhone feature. After further examination of the beta, it seems Apple is preparing to bring another item to the operating system soon.

A code reference found in the beta by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser and posted to Twitter includes the line "Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates."

Initially announced as part of the iOS 15 Wallet updates at WWDC 2021, the feature expands the kinds of items the Wallet can hold. Along with information from ID cards supported in some U.S. states, this was also to include driver's licenses as a commonly-accepted form of ID.

Apple was also working with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to support digital identities at airports, enabling an iPhone user to verify their identity before flying.

"Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates
about vour ID." pic.twitter.com/mmIe6zg0a4

-- Steve Moser (@SteveMoser)

February 8, 2022

In November, Apple updated its iOS 15 webpage to indicate the feature was being pushed back into early 2022.

Apple is also reportedly keeping tight control over the feature, with Apple having "sole discretion" over its rollout and the technology powering it. A document leak in November revealed states also had to agree to "allocate reasonably sufficient personnel and resources to support the launch" of the feature, and to bolster its adoption by "key stakeholders in federal and state government," such as the IRS and law enforcement.

Read on AppleInsider

macseeker

Will 15.4 correct the problem for iOS Safari not able to downloading Wallet files?  I can't enter my new vaccine certificate.

Xed

macseeker said:

Will 15.4 correct the problem for iOS Safari not able to downloading Wallet files?  I can't enter my new vaccine certificate.

Does it have a QR code?

macseeker

Xed said:

macseeker said:

Will 15.4 correct the problem for iOS Safari not able to downloading Wallet files?  I can't enter my new vaccine certificate.

Does it have a QR code?

Yep, it sure has.  Really strange.  I enter my information and the Safari iOS can't download the file.

ihatescreennames

I recently moved to a state that Apple announced will have support for digital IDs. I’m hoping this happens sooner rather than later. It would be even better if the airport that’s closest to me also starts accepting it at security. Hopefully this rollout goes faster than POS terminals that accept Apple Pay did. 

Ofer

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

JFC_PA

There’s lockout functions within the current iOS that when enabled restrict access to the one open app. So handing over the iPhone to another person doesn’t risk them going anywhere you don’t want them to. 


https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/guided-access-iph7fad0d10/ios

boxcatcher

Ofer said:

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

I come to these threads to find this same old, tired comment …  I’m never disappointed.

Xed

macseeker said:

Xed said:

macseeker said:

Will 15.4 correct the problem for iOS Safari not able to downloading Wallet files?  I can't enter my new vaccine certificate.

Does it have a QR code?

Yep, it sure has.  Really strange.  I enter my information and the Safari iOS can't download the file.

Save it to photos and then use your iPhone's camera from another device where the photo of the QR code is saved to add it to Wallet. That's how I got around that.

ihatescreennames

Ofer said:

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

It’s not going to work the way you seem to think it will work.

https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-15/

”Starting in participating U.S. states, add your ID to Wallet for use when you travel. With a tap of your iPhone or paired Apple Watch, you’ll be able to securely present your ID to speed through TSA security checkpoints. Presenting your identification is easy and secure with Face ID or Touch ID. Driver’s licenses and state IDs in Wallet take full advantage of the privacy and security built into iPhone and Apple Watch.”

Ofer

boxcatcher said:

Ofer said:

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

I come to these threads to find this same old, tired comment …  I’m never disappointed.

Congratulations 

darkvader

boxcatcher said:

Ofer said:

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

I come to these threads to find this same old, tired comment …  I’m never disappointed.

It's not an old, tired comment.  It's a 100% valid concern.  If you don't understand why having an unlocked phone in the presence of a cop who has just stopped you is a really serious problem, I'm not sure I can help you.

But here, I'll try:

Most traffic stops are actually 'pretext' stops.  Sure, the cop wants to give you a ticket, but they're also using the stop to look for any reason they can possibly find to arrest you.  You've just unlocked a massive store of data about you.  Sure, the cop is supposed to scan it without touching it, but a cop on a power trip isn't going to do that, they'll yank the phone out of your hand and take it back to their car, at which point the cop can do anything to it, whether that means flipping through your pictures, your messages, you emails, or even hooking up the phone to a data grabber for later perusal.  And that doesn't even count the potential to plant something on your phone.  Any attempt on your part to protest will likely get a gun pointed in your face.

You're much safer keeping your phone locked (and if you've got time, putting it in emergency lock mode so that it can't be unlocked without a passcode) and just handing over the little plastic card you already have.

Xed

darkvader said:

boxcatcher said:

Ofer said:

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

I come to these threads to find this same old, tired comment …  I’m never disappointed.

It's not an old, tired comment.  It's a 100% valid concern.  If you don't understand why having an unlocked phone in the presence of a cop who has just stopped you is a really serious problem, I'm not sure I can help you.

But here, I'll try:

Most traffic stops are actually 'pretext' stops.  Sure, the cop wants to give you a ticket, but they're also using the stop to look for any reason they can possibly find to arrest you.  You've just unlocked a massive store of data about you.  Sure, the cop is supposed to scan it without touching it, but a cop on a power trip isn't going to do that, they'll yank the phone out of your hand and take it back to their car, at which point the cop can do anything to it, whether that means flipping through your pictures, your messages, you emails, or even hooking up the phone to a data grabber for later perusal.  And that doesn't even count the potential to plant something on your phone.  Any attempt on your part to protest will likely get a gun pointed in your face.

You're much safer keeping your phone locked (and if you've got time, putting it in emergency lock mode so that it can't be unlocked without a passcode) and just handing over the little plastic card you already have.

It's an old, tired comment because you're foolish to hand over your device. Even if law enforcement does get ahold of your device that doesn't mean they have access to all your data. Your phone should be locked but that doesn't mean you can't make it so certain data can't be seen just like the medical info that you choose to allow is still available on a locked device.

Ofer

darkvader said:

boxcatcher said:

Ofer said:

Honestly, I don’t know that I would ever make use of this if it involved me having to hand over my phone to a law enforcement official to get my license info. I would never trust them not to try and access my personal information without my consent.

I come to these threads to find this same old, tired comment …  I’m never disappointed.

It's not an old, tired comment.  It's a 100% valid concern.  If you don't understand why having an unlocked phone in the presence of a cop who has just stopped you is a really serious problem, I'm not sure I can help you.

But here, I'll try:

Most traffic stops are actually 'pretext' stops.  Sure, the cop wants to give you a ticket, but they're also using the stop to look for any reason they can possibly find to arrest you.  You've just unlocked a massive store of data about you.  Sure, the cop is supposed to scan it without touching it, but a cop on a power trip isn't going to do that, they'll yank the phone out of your hand and take it back to their car, at which point the cop can do anything to it, whether that means flipping through your pictures, your messages, you emails, or even hooking up the phone to a data grabber for later perusal.  And that doesn't even count the potential to plant something on your phone.  Any attempt on your part to protest will likely get a gun pointed in your face.

You're much safer keeping your phone locked (and if you've got time, putting it in emergency lock mode so that it can't be unlocked without a passcode) and just handing over the little plastic card you already have.

Thank you. You did a better job than me summarizing my concerns here. Sadly, the cops where I live can’t be trusted to honor my right to privacy.