Imagine never worrying about leaving your ID behind in your other bag. Thanks to a recent Android update, Google Wallet now allows users in select US states to carry a digital version of their ID on their smartphones. Currently,the feature is available in stateslike Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, and Maryland. Google is promising to spread the digital ID love to more states in the coming months.
Dong Min Kim, Google Wallet’s product management director, toldAmerican Bankerthat Google is teaming up with local authorities to roll out its service to more states in the next few months (via9to5Google). “We want to create a wallet that will make people feel comfortable leaving their physical wallet at home,” Kim said in the interview. Despite the ambition, he admitted that addressing issues around identity is trickier than just making payments more uniform.
Getting IDs on smartphonesis a bit of a puzzle due to the varied rules and regulations across US states. Unlike the standardized world of mobile payments and digital payment cards, digital IDs follow the unique guidelines of various states. Google has to navigate this state-by-state maze, working individually with each one to bring their IDs into Google Wallet.
While some states are cool about keeping their own digital ID setups—like California and Utah, which havetheir own mobile driver’s license apps—Google is gunning to beef up ID storage. However, wrangling with a bunch of government agencies makes it a bit of a slow and steady process.
Meanwhile, the US Transportation Security Administration isfinally on boardwith digital drivers' licenses, but only at a few dozen airports across the country. And grabbing some booze with your digital ID is a hit or miss, depending on the store’s mood. So, it’d be wise to keep your physical ID card close in the meantime.
We’re in the dark about the next states joining the digital ID party, but if Kim’s hints are anything to go by, we’ll know soon. Google is not limiting the rollout in the US; Kim confirmed that the company plans to bring the same ID features to other countries.
On another note, Kim revealed that people are treating Gmail andGoogle Drivelike their personal identity storage units. But he added that Google Wallet is here to show them how it’s done and hinted that the service could be the ultimate hub for all things ID.
Both Apple and Google were all hyped about adding IDs to their Wallet apps a while back. But the rollout has been slower than a snail on a coffee break. Instead of states diving headfirst into the tech wave, we’re stuck in red-tape bureaucracy.
