Apple quietly revealed that its planned digital ID feature, which would allow government-issued IDs to be stored in the Wallet app, has been delayed

Digital ID was first announced at WWDC 2021 and was slated to launch at some point this year However, an update on the official iOS 15 website, discovered by MacRumors, confirms that the company has delayed the release of the digital ID feature to early 2022

Once released, this exciting new option will allow users to store state IDs and driver's licenses in Apple Wallet, just like credit and debit cards Stores that use this feature will verify the ID with an iPhone or Apple Watch; this will also be a very hassle-free experience, as a simple tap of the device by the ID reader will complete the task quickly and efficiently

However, the initial release of digital IDs will not be available everywhere from the start Apple has announced that only eight states will support digital IDs: Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah

The first key locations where this feature will be standardized will be TSA checkpoints at some US airports, but it is expected to be adopted by a variety of major retailers over time Since the Apple Wallet is available in thousands of locations around the world, as everything As everything shifts to a digital future, it is feasible that this ID feature will become increasingly popular

Apple has not yet confirmed a specific release date for digital ID, but it is expected to appear within the first few months of 2022, likely after the launch of iOS 152 There are also new rumors that future Apple devices may feature advanced wireless charging, as AirPower has been reborn, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman

Meanwhile, there are now plenty of Black Friday Apple deals to help with the eventual release of the digital ID; the Apple Watch 3 is as low as $109 and is also on our Black Friday Deals list