Google will now test an update for its Wallet app that allows for passports to be scanned and saved on Android smartphones. Should the testing be successful and the update launched, it will add passports to the list of IDs that can be saved in the Wallet app.
This Google Wallet feature has made it possibled for users to no longer carry physical ID cards.
Google Wallet Passport Compatibility Now Under Testing
Google shared a new blog post that details the new Wallet features that are available under its beta testing phase, which seek to expand the number of IDs that can be saved on the app. As part of its testing phase, Google is now testing the idea of saving passports to the app.
It should be noted, however, that this option is not widely accepted as of press time. Given this, Google said that it is working with new possible partners that can further widen the scope of digital IDs. Google's plans include the availability to use digital IDs in account recovery, car rentals, identity verification, and more applications in the future.
According to Google, this technology is still in its early stages. It has clarified that ID saved on the Google Wallet are not meant to replace physical IDs. The company still recommends that physical IDs be brought when traveling.
Google Wallet Digital Passports for TSA Checkpoints
It was revealed by Google that passports stored on its Wallet app will be accepted at select TSA checkpoints all over the country. This, however, is limited to domestic flights only.
To add a passport to the app, users only need to tap the prompt for adding a new ID before selecting the type. Once that step has been completed, the user must scan the security chip found at the back of their US passport.
Digital IDs and Its Importance
People all around the world have been heavily dependent on their smartphones due to its wide variety of functions, and it has now become the item that most people do not leave behind. Android smartphones, in particular, can downloaded Google's Wallet app, which lets users save IDs within it.
Google's Wallet app is among the earliest to introduce digital ID compatibility, which allows a device to scan and save an ID. While the feature has been available for sometime now, Google is still working on getting support from all 50 states in the US to accept this new kind of ID.
As of press time, not all states have partnered with Google or even Apple to provide support for such wallet apps. In fact, states like California and New York have launched their own ID app instead to store their constituents' digital ID copies on devices.
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