TAMPA, Fla. — Although there has been no statement from Apple, several tech news outlets say you'll be waiting a little longer to add your driver's license to your phone.
The new feature will allow you to use your iPhone as a form of digital identification in some U.S. airports. Apple says you will be able to scan your driver's license or state ID in states that choose to participate. Making use of the Wallet app, you can access your securely stored ID on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
However, according to reports from The Verge and Tech Times, the launch has been delayed without an official announcement from Apple.
On one page of Apple's website with an overview of iOS 15, the new feature says it is scheduled to launch in "early 2022." However, on a different page of the website, it says the new iOS features, which include the Wallet ID, are "coming later this fall."
According to a news release from Apple, the new feature will be launched first in Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah. Apple says the Transportation Security Administration will "enable select airport security checkpoints and lanes in participating airports as the first locations customers can use their driver's license or state ID in Wallet."
"The addition of driver's licenses and state IDs to Apple Wallet is an important step in our vision of replacing the physical wallet with a secure and easy-to-use mobile wallet," Jennifer Bailer, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said.
Here in Florida, the state has been working on its own digital ID program, Florida Smart ID. Florida Politics first reported the new feature would be available on the Apple Store and Google Play by mid-November.
It's reportedly live but not yet ready for the public.
Florida Politics has also reported the state is working with Apple so that IDs can be available in the Wallet app. However, there has been no word on when Floridians can start using Apple's new feature.
Some may be skeptical of Apple's plans, citing an issue of privacy and protecting information. Apple says the company, along with issuing states, does not know when or where users present their IDs. It adds, "Customers' identity data is encrypted and protected against tampering and theft. Biometric authentication using Face ID and Touch ID ensures that only the person who added the ID to the device can view or present their ID or license in Wallet."
If you happen to lose your iPhone or Apple Watch, you can use the Find My app to lock and locate the device, or remotely erase the data.
Apple has not provided a specific release date beyond the "early 2022" timeframe. The feature is not currently active on iOS 15 beta.