Apple’s digital driver’s license has been delayed to subsequent yr

Apple’s digital driver’s license / ID function gained’t be coming till “early 2022,” in keeping with an replace to Apple’s iOS 15 page that MacRumors noticed. The change comes after information broke that Apple was in search of strict management over how states roll out the function, which was beforehand listed as coming late this yr.

Originally introduced at WWDC 2021, Apple says that the function will allow you to use its Wallet app to retailer your digital identification to be used at airport safety checkpoints. Of course, the system relies in your state supporting it — the corporate introduced that Arizona and Georgia could be the primary to let residents add their licenses to their telephones (with Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah following later) however didn’t specify when precisely that may be occurring.

Earlier this month, a report confirmed how restrictive Apple’s contracts with the states chosen to steer this system are. CNBC mentioned, in keeping with the contracts it seen from Georgia, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Kentucky, that Apple has “sole discretion” regarding how the states marketed this system, how they reported on its success, and even the date that they launched this system and the gadgets they’re allowed to mark as suitable. States, and subsequently taxpayers, are additionally chargeable for funding this system, regardless of Apple selecting when it launches.

Apple does have conflicting data on its website about when digital IDs will likely be out there — iOS 15’s “All New Features” page nonetheless says the function is coming in “late 2021,” however it’s tough to see that taking place now. The holidays and the holidays that include them are quick approaching, which historically makes initiatives tough to finish, particularly if different organizations (on this case, the state governments) are concerned.

The function wasn’t alone in lacking the official iOS 15 launch — the brand new model of the OS was launched with no good chunk of the key options that Apple had introduced on stage. Many of them have been added by means of updates or have proven up within the beta for the upcoming iOS 15.2, although Universal Control continues to be lacking for these wanting to manage their Macs and iPads with the identical mouse and keyboard. Apple continues to be promising it’ll launch “later this fall.”