Latest news with #iPhoneusers
CNET
4 days ago
- CNET
These States Will Let Your iPhone Be Your Driver's License
The digital ID isn't a new concept, though it's taken quite a while to get any traction. However, Apple is making headway by allowing iPhone users to add their driver's license to Apple Wallet, which can be used at TSA checkpoints in airports in certain states. It's a convenient upgrade if you live in one of the supported states and have a compatible iPhone. I tested the feature in California, and the setup process was surprisingly simple. Just keep in mind that you'll need an iPhone 8 or newer running the right version of iOS, and depending on your state's rollout, some users may hit snags. Still, it's a small tech shift that can make your travel day a whole lot smoother. The use cases are extremely limited at this point, and that will likely change as the adoption of the technology grows -- but don't expect to get into a nightclub or a bar with just your iPhone anytime soon. Below, I describe my experience, the hiccups I encountered on the way and things that you should know if you plan on adding your driver's license to Apple Wallet. I'll also break down how you can add your ID to your iPhone, step by step. For more, don't miss these low-key iOS 26 features we're excited for. The Small but Mighty Features of iOS 26 The Small but Mighty Features of iOS 26 Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 4:23 Loaded : 10.85% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 4:23 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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The Small but Mighty Features of iOS 26 These states support digital IDs on iPhones right now Only a handful of states support digital IDs in Apple Wallet. One key factor is how each state implements its Mobile Driver's License system. For instance, Louisiana, New York, Utah and Virginia all support mobile driver's licenses but require separate apps for digital IDs. States and regions that support digital IDs in Apple Wallet: Arizona California Colorado Georgia Hawaii Iowa Maryland New Mexico Ohio Puerto Rico Some states originally announced to support Apple's digital ID haven't quite gotten there yet. The number of states supported in Apple Wallet is about half of what the TSA currently allows. Collectively, it accepts digital IDs across Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet and state-based mobile apps in 15 states. What are the iPhone requirements to add your driver's license to Apple Wallet? Where you live is just the start. You also have to have the right iPhone model and the right software setup. Here are the minimum requirements that Apple lists: An iPhone 8 or later with the latest version of iOS Have Face or Touch ID enabled on your device Have two-factor authentication enabled on your Apple account A license or ID from a participating state or territory Your device's region set to the United States I'll have more to say in a bit about that iPhone 8 and iOS requirement and a catch I ran into. My experience adding my ID to my iPhone was easy For testing purposes, I used the iPhone 16E. The process of adding the ID was simple. I scanned the front and the back of my ID and the next step was to verify my identity. This wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be. Instead, it took a live photo of my face for 2.5 seconds. After that, more verification was required. This came in a series of different photos, with prompts directing me to close my eyes, open my mouth, smile and tip my head down. This verification process took about three minutes. (Or longer in my case, as I got distracted writing notes about the process and then found I had to restart the whole process.) Then, after I submitted those photos, there was another verification step, presumably with the photos relayed to the California DMV. A screen message told me that I would receive a notification when there was an update. I expected this to take a long time, but not even 10 minutes later, a notification telling me that my ID was ready to use popped up. That was easy. What about older iPhones? So, not every phone you think might work will actually do so. The first time I tested adding my ID, I was using an iPhone 8 Plus. But when I arrived at the setup page within Apple Wallet, I was given eight states to choose from, and California wasn't one of them. That surprised me. I'd found a helpful Apple support article that explained the requirements for adding a driver's license or state-issued ID to Apple Wallet and it seemed like I shouldn't have any trouble. At first, I thought the roadblock was that I hadn't set up Touch ID yet. But no, California was still not on my list of eight states. (Equally confusing, a colleague of mine also tried this with an iPhone 8 and Apple Wallet only listed four states.) I went back to the Apple support article and looked for fine print, and sure enough, there it was. I'd ignored the asterisk in the requirements, because California has had its Mobile Driver's License program set up for some time now. The fine print at the very bottom of the page states, "For California, ID in Apple Wallet requires iPhone XS or later with iOS 17.5 or later." (For Puerto Rico, if you want to add your driver's license or ID to Apple Wallet, you'll need to have an iPhone XS or later with iOS 18.1.) So if you're holding onto an iPhone 8 or iPhone X and live in California, you won't be able to add your driver's license to your iPhone because of the lack of software support. iOS 16 is the last supported version of the operating system for iPhone 8 and X models. How to add your ID or driver's license to Apple Wallet If you live in a state that supports digital IDs for Apple Wallet, it's easy to add one. After it's added, you'll need to verify your identity, which can take a little longer but it's still a straightforward process. Open Apple Wallet . . Tap the Add button. button. Tap Driver's License or ID and select your location. If applicable, choose whether you want to add your ID to your iPhone only or your iPhone and your Apple Watch. Follow the steps to scan your license or ID. (Make sure you scan your ID in a well-lit environment and that the image is in focus.) Once it's scanned, you'll be prompted to confirm your identity with a selfie photo. According to Apple, you may be asked to complete a number of facial or head movements for identification purposes. To ensure an easier verification process, Apple suggests that you: Stand in front of a plain background with neutral, light paint. Be in a well-lit area, ideally indoors. Take off sunglasses, masks, hats or other accessories that could block your face. Hold your iPhone steady. When you're finished, submit your information by confirming with Touch or Face ID. Your biometrics will be bound to the ID, so only you can use it. How to transfer your digital ID to another iPhone If you upgrade your iPhone, you'll need to transfer your ID or driver's license to it. During initial setup, tap Wallet . . Select your ID. Follow the steps. Tap to confirm you want to move your driver's license or ID to the new device. So, now what? Your digital ID isn't just a photo of your ID that you can pull up within Apple Wallet. In fact, you don't even see a full image of your physical ID. In order to actually view your information from your digital ID, you'll need to tap on your ID "card" in Apple Wallet, tap the "i" at the top-right of the screen, and then tap State ID info or Card Information (the wording may be different depending on what version of iOS your iPhone is running). From there, it will show your ID photo as well as essential pieces of information from your physical ID. TSA checkpoints that support digital IDs require a dedicated scanner, so the process may not necessarily feel like it's faster than showing your physical ID to the agent. Here's a video of the process via the Maryland Department of Transportation: The idea of a digital ID is pretty convenient but overall, it probably won't save you a meaningful amount of time. Couple that fact with its incredibly limited use cases right now and the fact that merchant or event adoption will require investment in proper hardware and it's pretty easy to see just how far off we are from ditching physical IDs. Selling or trading in your iPhone? Do this first. When you move on from a phone that has your ID on it, you'll want to do the same thing you do with other sensitive info like credit or debit cards and passwords: Remove it. So before you wipe your iPhone to sell or trade it in, you should manually remove your ID first. Here's how to do it. Go to Apple Wallet and tap your ID in the list in the list Tap the " i " button at the top right of the screen at the top right of the screen Tap Remove State ID (or Driver's License) (or Driver's License) Read the warning that pops up and tap Remove Digital passports are coming to Apple Wallet with iOS 26 Creating a digital ID from your physical passport is coming to your iPhone this year. Apple/Screenshot by CNET While states are taking time to implement digital ID systems, Apple announced a feature coming in iOS 26 this year: You can add a digital passport to Apple Wallet. When that feature is available, iPhone users will be able to scan their passports to create a digital version for identity verification during domestic travel. You won't be able to use it for international travel and it's not a full replacement for a physical passport (so keep your physical one on you) but it should work at the 250-plus supported TSA checkpoints. During its WWDC keynote in June, Apple said that the digital ID made from your passport can also be used "in apps and in person" but it didn't give any specifics. This is essentially what can be done on Android through Google Wallet. Verify with Wallet ID verification could make ordering alcohol easier Also headed to iPhones this fall is an easier way for you to prove your age using your digital ID. Say you want to have a bottle of wine sent to your place via Uber Eats. Typically, when the driver arrives, you'll need to present your ID and have it scanned to complete the transaction but with the new Verify with Wallet, your stored digital ID will be used to verify your age. (I do wonder if things might get more complicated when the delivery arrives if you're not the one receiving it.) Verify with Wallet will be supported by Chime, Turo, Uber Eats and U.S. Bank. For more, don't miss what you should know about flying domestically without a Real ID in 2025.
CNET
7 days ago
- CNET
Impress Me, Apple. Make This One Unexpected Change With the iPhone 17
We're now less than a month away from Apple unveiling the iPhone 17, if rumors are to be believed. I always look forward to this highlight of the tech calendar, especially since I've been writing about and primarily using an iPhone for well over a decade. When it comes to the 2025 iPhone, there's one thing I'd love to see Apple prioritize -- and it might not be what you expect. It's not a cool new design, a bigger battery or a more impressive camera. It's definitely not advanced AI capabilities. Instead what I'd love to see from the iPhone 17 is even better repairability, particularly more self-repair options. A lot of tech inevitably passes through my hands as part of my job, but I feel a keen responsibility not to feed into the culture of over-consumption. Treating gadgets as disposable is an unrealistic way to live, and it places a heavy burden on our already overburdened planet. Extending the life of our tech through repair is one of the tools at our disposal to reduce that burden. Increasingly, and partly due to an increase in right-to-repair legislation coming into force around the world, tech companies are making it easier for us to perform these repairs ourselves, rather than relying solely on costly in-house repair schemes. For a long time, Apple was not among them. In fact, it strongly advised people not to tinker with their iPhones at home at all. That all changed in 2021 when it introduced its Self-Repair Program. It's continued to take strides in making it easier to repair phones -- which, let's not forget, are complex, intricately designed pieces of technology. But it still has some way to go, especially when it comes to ease and accessibility. I'm currently using an iPhone 15 Pro Max that's rapidly approaching its second birthday. It's no spring chicken, but aside from its waning battery capacity, I have absolutely no complaints about its performance. Next month it will get its annual software upgrade with the release of iOS 26 and it will feel brand new to me all over again. This is a phone that has years of life left in it -- if I choose to replace the battery, that is. But in all truthfulness, I'm nervous to do it. I've repaired plenty of tech in my time, usually under the supervision of someone far more skilled than I am, but the stakes feel so much higher. The spare parts and repair tools aren't cheap, and it could quickly get even more expensive if I mess it up. Then I'd have no choice but to invest in a new phone after all. I'm determined to try, but I'd also like Apple to make it even easier in the future for me to replace the battery -- I don't want to feel like I'm conducting open-heart surgery on my phone. I have to commend the company for its efforts in this direction already. When Kyle Wiens, CEO of online community, advocacy group and parts retailer iFixit, performed his first teardown of the iPhone 16 last year, he pointed out many of the repairability improvements Apple introduced with the model and praised the company for releasing the repair manual on the same day as the phone. Two months later, Apple started selling replacement components via its Self-Repair Program. Even better, the company lets people rent, rather than buy, the repair kits they need, reducing further waste and the overall cost of making repairs. It was an important step in the right direction for Apple and spurred iFixit to award the iPhone 16 a repairability score of 7/10. That still leaves room for improvement, and I hope to see the iPhone take at least one additional step toward becoming the gold standard in phone repairability this year. It's not an easy thing for a phone-maker to do, but Apple has been a pioneer in so many respects. Why not this one too?
Digital Trends
21-07-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Google Chrome makes it easier for iPhone users to separate work and play
Unless you work in a government agency or deal with extremely sensitive corporate stuff, chances are high that your company allows you to use a personal phone for handling professional stuff. Some companies require an internal VPN or a separate work profile to access internet-based material. For desktop, it's easier to switch between different users in Chrome. On Android devices, users can create a work profile that keeps their work data discrete and secure. No such convenience has existed for iPhone so far. That is finally changing in 2025, as after a long wait, Google is finally turning its attention to iPhone users. What's changing? Moving ahead, Chrome on iOS will allow users to switch between personal and work profiles with ease. The profile switching process will be seamless, but all browsing activity and saved data will be neatly separated across each profile. Recommended Videos That includes login credentials, tabs, groups, and browsing history. 'When users sign in or switch to their managed account in Chrome, browsing related to their organization will be kept separate from their other browsing on the device,' says the company. When users enable the profile switching system for the first time in Chrome, they will be informed about the standard data retention policies that are put in place by organizations for employee accounts. Moving ahead, every time users switch to their work environment in Chrome, they will be informed about it via an on-screen notice. Enhanced guardrails for mobile users Additionally, the URL filtering service, which prevents employees (signed in to a work profile) from accessing risky websites, is being rolled out for iOS devices. Google is also expanding the reporting features offered with Chrome Enterprise across Android and iOS. The move allows IT admins to get a deeper look at security risks and threat incidents. The aforementioned perks will be available for Chrome Enterprise bundles, which include Premium and Core tiers. For the unaware, Chrome Enterprise Core allows companies to manage extensions, apps, and settings from a unified dashboard. The Premium package throws in additional security guardrails, such as malware deep scan, data loss protection, website filtering, evidence locker, and more. With the advent of AI, Google is also strengthening the browser safety protocols for enterprise customers. 'Organizations can block employees from visiting unallowed GenAI sites at a category level and redirect them to the approved corporate services to prevent ShadowAI risks,' the company said in a press release.
