Attribution for the discovery is given to Mishaal Rahman, who spotted the code snippets earlier this week. Based on those snippets, the feature will support several forms of official government identification. Including drivers’ licenses and other state-issued ID cards. Predominantly with the focus on allowing users to “fly through TSA with just your phone.”
Even in Google Wallet, Digital ID cards won’t work everywhere for everything
Now, the new storage option joins several others already in place in Google Wallet. Namely, lining up next to loyalty cards, boarding passes, vaccination cards, and tap-to-pay options. But they won’t necessarily be universally usable. In fact, as noted by the source, only a handful of airports even support digital ID cards, stored in Google Wallet or otherwise. That’s also the case for Apple’s Wallet, which is among apps that already support the feature. Among those are Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Those two locales are joined by Gulfport Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). And, rounding out the list, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN), Miami International Airport (MIA), Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Other than those airports — or if the wrong kind of ID is used, issued by the wrong authority — the TSA doesn’t allow their use. Moreover, only flyers with TSA Precheck are eligible where they are usable. And the Google Wallet app will apparently state as much, noting that it only works at “select TSA checkpoints.” More checkpoints will undoubtedly be added over time if the still-new program is successful. But it remains to be seen whether or not that will be the case. Or whether digital ID cards will be useful anywhere else. If that is the case, the new feature could help Google find a place among the best money-related apps on the market.
