In October, Samsung announced that it will soon bring mobile driver’s licenses and state IDs to its Samsung Wallet app. The company said Arizona and Iowa will be the first US states to let residents carry a mobile version of their driver’s license. It appears the rollout has begun, at least in Arizona. The Korean firm recently sent emails to Wallet users notifying them about the new feature.
Samsung Wallet users can now add their driver’s license to the app
In its official announcement in October, Samsung said Wallet will add support for mobile driver’s licenses in Arizona and Iowa “later this year.” The company didn’t specify a more precise timeline. However, we recently received an email from it saying that the Mobile Driver’s License feature “is now live” in the Wallet app. The email suggested the rollout has begun in Arizona, so users in Iowa might have to wait longer.
Once the feature is available, Arizona’s driver’s license or state ID holders can add a digital copy of the physical card to Samsung Wallet. To add, open the app, go to the Quick access tab, click on the ‘+’ button, select ‘Digital IDs’, and click on the ‘Driver’s License/State ID’ option. You will now be asked to scan the front and back of your ID. When completed, tap “Next.”
You have to then verify your identity with a face scan. Samsung says this is to verify that you are “the rightful holder of the driver’s license or state ID, and is for verification purposes only.” After scanning the face, tap “Submit” to complete the process. It will ask for a fingerprint or PIN authentication on your phone. This ensures that only you can access the digital ID when required.
Your driver’s license or state ID is now safely stored in Samsung Wallet in encrypted form. You can use the digital copy at participating TSA checkpoints. If a TSA checkpoint has a TSA digital identity reader, you can tap your phone near the NFC reader or select the digital ID in the app and scan it on the QR code reader. You don’t require to pass the physical ID to a TSA officer.
Samsung plans to expand the feature to more states
The new Samsung Wallet feature makes it convenient for Arizona and Iowa residents to verify their identity at airports. However, it doesn’t work at all airports. Thankfully, Samsung plans to change that soon. It also plans to expand the feature to more use cases beyond TSA checkpoints and bring it to other US states. The company hasn’t specified any names, though. We will let you know when we have more information.
2023-12-27 15:05:33