Question: Regarding digital IDs, about 40% of cellphones are Android-based. Why is the DOT only working with Apple? Apps that are sponsored by the state should be mandated to work on all major operating systems, especially something as basic and fundamental as a valid ID. When does the state plan to have the app available on Android?
Answer: “This is emerging technology and Hawaii is well ahead of the curve. Apple was the first partner the City and County of Honolulu of Department of Information Technology worked with. Now that the initial mDL rollout has been completed, we are moving forward with other providers. HDOT will make announcements as Hawaii-issued mDLs become available in other digital wallets,” Shelly Kunishige, a spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation, said in an email Monday, referring to mobile driver’s licenses, also commonly referred to as digital IDs.
She provided no timeline for an Android option. The Apple version now available is optional, and users should continue to carry their physical cards.
The DOT announced Aug. 28 that a REAL ID-compliant Hawaii driver’s license or state identification card can be added to the holder’s Apple Wallet, allowing those with an iPhone or Apple Watch to use a digital ID “at the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Terminal 1 Makai Checkpoint of the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Apple Stores in the U.S. and in select apps that require identity or age verification.”
Apple devices use Apple’s iOS operating system, while smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy and others use the Android operating system developed by Google. We’ve heard mostly from Galaxy users who want to add a Hawaii driver’s license or state ID to Samsung Wallet. As for your comment about use, U.S. market share is nearly 56% for iOS mobile devices and nearly 43.82% for Android, according to statcounter.com.
The TSA began testing the acceptance of digital IDs in early 2022, according to its website, which lists 29 airports nationwide, including Honolulu’s, as participating in the “field assessment” of this technology.
Now Hawaii is the 11th state to offer its residents the option of using a digital ID for identity verification “at select airports nationwide,” the TSA said in a news release Aug. 29, after the state DOT’s announcement.
The other states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, New York, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Utah, which vary in the types of digital IDs issued. All the following may be accepted at select TSA checkpoints, according to the agency:
>> Arizona: Digital ID in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet
>> California: Digital ID in California DMV Wallet App and Google Wallet
>> Colorado: Digital ID in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet
>> Georgia: Digital ID in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet
>> Hawaii: Digital ID in Apple Wallet
>> Iowa: Digital ID in Iowa Mobile ID app and Samsung Wallet
>>Louisiana: Digital ID in LA Wallet
>> Maryland: Digital ID in Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet
>> New York: Digital ID in NY MiD app
>> Ohio: Digital ID in Apple Wallet
>> Utah: Digital ID in GET Mobile App
For more information, see hidot.hawaii.gov/ highways/mobile-driver- license and tsa.gov/ digital-id.
As we’ve mention in previous columns, Hawaii’s mDL is not acceptable in a Hawaii traffic stop, which is another reason to carry your physical license.
Mahalo
Thanks to the folks who found my husband’s wallet last week in or around the Pearl City Longs Drug area. My husband checked with Longs but it wasn’t there. While we were looking for it in the parking lot, our son called to tell us that a man and his daughter had delivered the wallet to our house. So nice! He didn’t get their names, so we just want to thank them for being so thoughtful and reminding us how good it is to live in Hawaii! — L.O.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
