At WWDC 2022, Apple showed off some significant updates and changes coming to Apple Wallet with the launch of iOS 16. The standout feature for Apple Pay with iOS 16 is Apple Pay Later. As the name implies, Apple Pay Later will let you make Apple Pay purchases that you pay later on — more specifically, through payments spread out over a few weeks. Apple Pay Later will be available anywhere that Apple Pay works. More importantly, it lets you make said payments with 0 percent interest and no additional fees. If you use Apple Pay and are trying to plan a big purchase, Apple Pay Later could be a useful feature to have.
Apple also provided an update on its rollout of digital IDs in Apple Wallet. Following Wallet’s integration with state driver’s licenses in Arizona and Colorado, the company expects 11 more states to follow suit. Currently, the states working on integrating Apple Wallet as a legitimate form of ID are already incorporating it into Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checks at select airports. The list of states that have planned Wallet ID integration is as follows:
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Puerto Rico
- Utah
In addition to Wallet ID being used for legal identification when it comes to travel, digital IDs can also be used for age-restricted purchases in apps like Uber Eats when ordering things like alcohol that require the buyer to be of a certain age.
Apple Wallet is expanding its key uses to mirror the way that “real” keys work. Sharing digital keys through Apple Wallet has been made much easier as iOS users can now share them through apps such as Mail, Messages, and WhatsApp. Sharing digital keys will also work with non-iOS devices so that you can work with anyone, no matter what type of phone they have. The sharing functions work similarly to Apple Pay and will arrive with iOS 16.
Apple rounded out its Wallet presentation with a couple of smaller updates. If you order something with Apple Pay, merchants will be able to add tracking information directly to your order. Shopify is confirmed to support order tracking, with “millions” of other merchants also gaining access to the feature. Apple also provided an update on its Tap to Pay feature for merchants/retailers, confirming that it’ll be available starting this month.
