Apple delays rollout of digital IDs in Wallet until early 2022

Apple Wallet on iPhone and Watch showing digital IDs
FEATURE DELAY: Apple says its now planning to add support for digital IDs in Wallet early in the new year

Apple is delaying the release of the feature that will enable users to store digital identity documents such as their driving licence in Wallet until “early 2022”, updates to its iOS15 and watchOS 8 web pages reveal.

Apple originally said that it planned to add support for digital IDs later this year when it unveiled its iOS 15 and watchOS 8 updates in June and announced in September that it would be rolling out the feature in eight US states, beginning with Arizona and Georgia and with six other states “to follow”.

Both the iOS14 and watchOS 8 web pages now state that support for digital IDs will be “coming early 2022”, while “the feature is not enabled in the latest iOS 15.2 beta”, according to MacRumors.

The announcement of the delay comes after memorandums of agreement between Apple and some of the US states due to offer digital ID documents in Wallet seen earlier this month revealed that Apple’s requirements include retaining control over when the service is launched as well as the right to review and approve how it is marketed.

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