Apple has been vocal about the plans they have for their products, especially with iPhones, which are incredibly popular around the world--and it seems like the company has tons of ideas that soon, all we'll really need to have with us is an iPhone.
Will iPhones Replace IDs?
According to a report by AppleInsider, it seems like Apple's next move is to replace identification cards with an iPhone, so it means your passport, driver's license, and even library card will all be digital.
Apparently, there have been a series of various patent applications that have been submitted, all with the name "Providing Verified Claims of User Identity."
Based on the report, all the patents describe a specific method on how the user could record and transmit their ID and have it confirmed, although Apple did not really mention the word iPhone even once.
Instead, the company refers that it could be any piece of technology.
Patent Applications for Digital IDs
One of the patents has a description that said that the user could use his or her iPhone to transmit an ID, and if the user is verified, say by the Apple Watch biometrics, the ID would be confirmed.
The applications were mainly for passports, but the company has also detailed that it could be used for other identification cards like driver's license and possibly even library cards.
"[This] allows a user to obtain a verified claim of identity that serves as a digital identity for the user, that includes information for identifying the user (e.g., information that was provided by the user and verified by one or more systems), and that can be re-used across different service providers," the application said.
The news came after South Korea has announced the use of a digital driver's license, wherein South Korean citizens could start using their smartphones to buy age-restricted products, like alcohol, in convenience stores.
According to Engadget, three major telecom companies were behind this, namely the LG Uplus, SK Telecom, and KT.
The three companies worked with ATON, an authentication company that will be responsible for integrating the digital driver's license on PASS, an app that South Korean citizens are already using to verify mobile payments.
Of course, the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) is also on board.
Citizens could start using their digital driver's license this July to reissue and renew their licenses, so it won't be a surprise if it will become the norm in the next few months and years.
Your Smartphone is All You Need
This is not the first time Apple has been interested in identification.
The company has previously worked with the British and German governments to find secure ways to present government ID and help with local identification projects.
Additionally, Apple has also announced the new digital car keys, which will allow you to unlock your car using only your iPhone, according to The Verge.
Shortly, it is not surprising anymore if everyone is only carrying their iPhones or smartphones as it has everything you would need, including cashless payment and identification.
