Tech Teacher

Author/Source: Filipe Espósito / 9to5Mac See the full link here

Takeaway

Apple is expanding its Wallet app to include support for digital identification, starting with passports. This initiative aims to make identity verification more convenient and secure by allowing users to store and present official documents directly from their iPhones. It’s a move towards digitizing official paperwork, enhancing both ease of use and privacy through selective data sharing.

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Technical Subject Understandability

Beginner

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Analogy/Comparison

Imagine your physical wallet being replaced by a secure digital vault on your phone, holding your most important identity documents. Instead of fumbling through cards, you simply present your phone to verify who you are, just as easily as you use it for contactless payments.

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Why It Matters

This matters because it could significantly streamline everyday processes, making things like airport security checks faster and more efficient, age verification at stores simpler, and even facilitating easier online identity confirmation. For example, instead of carrying a physical passport while traveling, you could use your iPhone to present your digital ID, reducing the risk of loss and potentially speeding up queues.

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Related Terms

Digital ID: An electronic version of an official identification document, such as a driver’s license or passport, stored securely on a digital device.
Wallet app: Apple’s application on iPhones that organizes and stores credit cards, loyalty cards, boarding passes, and now digital identification documents.
NFC (Near Field Communication): A short-range wireless technology that allows two devices to communicate when they are brought close together, commonly used for contactless payments and data transfer.
Biometric authentication: A security method that verifies a person’s identity using unique biological characteristics, such as fingerprints (Touch ID) or facial recognition (Face ID).