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For some users, the iPhone has become indispensable. You can now do so many things with Apple's smartphone that it has become almost indispensable. As some patents show, the device could soon replace the physical passport and driver's license and thus also replace the wallet in the long term.
The iPhone has become a very important companion over the last few years. The Health app can be used to document medical conditions and more. Thanks to Apple Pay, payments can be made almost anywhere. Tickets, vouchers and similar items can also be stored in the Wallet app. Basically, there is an app for almost everything. But personal documents are not part of this digital world - until now. A series of Apple patents shows that the Cupertino-based company is working on integrating the physical passport and driver's license into the iPhone. This would be a useful addition to Apple Pay. If you can already pay with your iPhone, you should also be able to use the device to identify yourself everywhere - right?
Verified information must be signed
The US blog AppleInsider has published a number of Apple patents discovered, all filed under the title “Providing Verified Claims of User Identity.” It states:
“A device implementing a system for using a verified credential of identity includes at least one processor configured to receive a verified credential containing information for identifying a user of a device,” one such application states, “wherein the verified credential is signed by a server based on verification of the information by an identity verification provider separate from the server, but the verified credential is device-specific.
At this point we recall a statement by Jennifer Bailey, Apple's Vice President of Internet Services and Apple Pay. She said in an interview some time ago that the company expects to introduce digital identification methods. This includes digital passports and driving licenses, among others. But according to Bailey, this will not be the case in the near future.
When will the iPhone replace the wallet?
The specific aim here is to ensure that such documents are permanently integrated into the iPhone. Users should be able to use them to identify themselves anytime and anywhere. What is particularly exciting, however, is the fact that Apple's patents do not only cover driving licenses and passports. The technology could also take ID cards into account and store all forms of identification securely on the iPhone. Whether the technology ever appears or remains just an idea will become clear in the next few years. The fact is - at some point we will certainly be able to do without the physical wallet, the only question is when. (Photo by oasisamuel / Bigstockphoto)
