Wallet App in iOS 15
The Wallet App is the place where you keep not only your Apple Pay cards, but also your store loyalty cards, discount coupons, entrance tickets and much more. But starting with iOS 15 and watchOS 8, the Wallet app can do even more. You can save and use more types of cards and new options for existing functions are added. These improvements can be found in Wallet in iOS 15.
- ID card
- House keys
- Hotel and office keys
- Car Keys with U1
- Archive cards
- Easier to download
#1 ID on your iPhone (but only in the US)
The Wallet app is getting official ID proof support in iOS 15 and watchOS 8. This allows you to add a driver's license to your iPhone, for example. But unfortunately this will only help you for the time being if you live in one of the states in America where this function will be supported. For the time being, storing your driver's license in Wallet is not yet coming to the Netherlands, so you can't leave your wallet at home yet.
#2 HomeKit House Keys
With a HomeKit door lock, you can open and close your front door via the Home app on your iPhone and Apple Watch. But from iOS 15 and watchOS 8, you can also do this via NFC, which is a lot more practical. You then only have to hold your iPhone or Apple Watch against the lock to open it. It is not yet known which models of smart door locks will support the function, but Apple has already shown a number of partners. One of these is Aqara, a well-known brand when it comes to home automation. Other well-known brands are Assa Abloy and Schlage.
Aqara is excited to partner with #Apple to create the most secure way to use keys anywhere you go. We look forward to continuing this partnership to bring users comprehensive smart home technology that they can trust. #WWDC pic.twitter.com/RVibsksw1q
— Aqara (@AqaraSmarthouse) June 9, 2021
#3 Hotel and office keys
The Wallet app will also support other types of door locks, for example from hotel rooms and office buildings. In offices, tags and similar systems are often used for both the main entrance and individual offices inside the building. Manufacturers of such systems can support the Wallet app in iOS 15, so all you have to do is hold your iPhone or Apple Watch against the lock.
The same goes for hotels. For hotels, Apple is adding an extra handy feature. You can receive the Wallet card for your hotel room remotely, even before you have checked in. You will immediately see in the Wallet app what your room number is and you do not have to go to the reception to collect your key. Hotel chain Hyatt will support this system in thousands of locations worldwide.
#4 Car Keys with U1 chip
Apple CarKey is Apple's system with which you can open and even start a car via a Wallet card on your iPhone. This currently works via NFC, but in iOS 15 and watchOS 8, support for the U1 chip will also be added. With Ultra-Wideband, it is no longer necessary to take your iPhone out of your pocket to open or start the car, because the U1 chip allows the car to see that you are close enough. BMW will support it on new models later this year. Unfortunately, no other car brands have been announced yet.
In addition, with Car Keys it will soon be possible to press a button from the Wallet app to open the car or set off the alarm. This only works if you're close enough, not remotely if you're miles away from your car.
#5 Archive Wallet Cards
Is your Wallet app a mess, just like your wallet used to be, with all used and expired cards, access cards and more? Then you can automatically hide expired Wallet passes in iOS 15. You do not have to remove them yourself, but they are automatically placed in a separate overview. This is especially useful for boarding passes and cinema tickets, which you may want to keep but no longer need.
#6 Download several at once
In Safari, it will soon be easier to download multiple Wallet cards at the same time. For example, if you get both a parking ticket and a Wallet ticket when you buy tickets to an event, you can add them to the Wallet app at the same time with one tap. So you no longer have to put them one by one in your Wallet.
These are just the main improvements to the Wallet app in iOS 15. Apple is still tweaking a few small things in the design. For example, you now see symbols in the transaction overview of your Apple Pay cards to make it easier to recognize the stores and apps where you have purchased something.
More about iOS 15
iOS 15 is the major update for the iPhone and iPod touch. If you want to know whether your iPhone is suitable for iOS 15, you will find the answer in our article. We expect the official iOS 15 release in September/October 2021. Find out what else was announced during the keynote in our WWDC 2021 recap!