boxcatcher

“Just as it’d be a bad idea to buy heart medications from a dude on the street …” 

Xed said:

Right now a pharmacy validates my state ID by scanning the barcode on the back. I assume this would work the same way. Additionally, the use of NFC (which is how Apple Pay transfers data) could be used to also send that info without the need for using an IR scanner on your display.

I should have been more clear about the nature of my wondering (about how grocery clerks will validate, etc.) —

The ISO spec for mobile drivers licenses (mDL), ISO 18013–5, allows for a variety of means to transfer data (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.), and leverages the OpenID Connect protocol so that the ID holder can grant access to specific pieces of information (similar to to how you can choose what to share when you use “Connect with Facebook”).

What I’m specifically curious about is whether Apple will provide an app that acts as the “Requestor” — the thing that initiates the request to Apple Wallet that prompts you to share (or not share) information.  This would be super helpful with the transition, because it would give hotel receptionists, club bouncers, rental car agents, etc. the means to “accept” these Digital IDs.

Every system that is built to take an optical scan of an ID’s barcode (and decode the data therein) will have to be phased over to also support this new data exchange.

@StrangeDays ;

I agree with everything you said -- just asserting that it'll be 5+ years before you can legitimately leave your plastic ID home.

StrangeDays said:

States are already moving. Louisiana has its own iOS app, and Mississippi uses Wallet w/ their own layout (QR code, license #, name, etc).

Our state has established it for official use. We're ready. Just need the tools to catch up.

A state that built its own app is probably more likely to resist, now, throwing its proprietary app (and supporting validation infrastructure) in the trash.  LAWallet is made superfluous by Apple’s solution — it’ll be the same phenomenon we saw with Apple Pay when that first rolled out.

Anyways, the value is not needing to carry your ID, and that requires every possible use-case to be covered (bouncer at bar, grocery clerk validating alcohol purchase, police officer, etc.) … going to take a hot minute.

It’s a great step, but this one is going to be slow.

Curious about: 
 - State support (could easily take years)
 - How a grocery store clerk will accept / validate