When rolled out, users will be able to upload the front and back sides of their state-issued identification, along with some selfies. Apple then verifies the information with the issuing state, and when approved, the identification is saved in Apple Wallet.
Apple Wallet will transmit the information from a user’s ID to special scanners, similar to the way Apple Pay works. Users won’t need to unlock or hand over their phones, they’ll simply agree to the sharing of information through Touch ID or Face ID.
Some of the benefits include not sharing all information on your ID, for example, when being carded at a bar. Bartenders won’t see your home address or other sensitive information on your ID, they’ll just get confirmation that you’re of age. And, if your device is lost, broken, or stolen, you’ll be able to wipe the data off of the device.
Security is a concern, but Apple encryption is the industry standard. Information is encoded on Apple’s servers, and even Apple employees can not access the information. Additionally, the ID can only be accessed on the devices to which a user has logged in.
In the future, this technology is likely to become widely adopted across the country at drugstores, bars, grocery stores, and airports. Colleges will utilize Digital ID for student identification on campuses, and employers will utilize it in place of physical work IDs.