Students at Duke University, the University of Alabama and the University of Oklahoma, students can now add their ID card to Apple Wallet and use it to pay for services at school, or unlock a dorm room door.
Apple announced that it’s launching a pilot program with three universities to support student ID cards in Apple Wallet. Students can add their ID cards to Apple Wallet, allowing them to do things like access dorms or pay for cafeteria meals holding their iPhones or Apple Watches above card readers.
The new feature enables students to add student ID cards to the iPhone’s Wallet app that then can be evoked for anything the card would normally be used to do: gaining access to dorms, gyms, or school libraries, as well as making payments for books, food, and laundry services. Anywhere a card would normally be accepted, the digital version works as well.
“iPhone and Apple Watch have brought us into a new era of mobility, helping to transform everyday experiences,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “When we launched Apple Pay, we embarked on a goal to replace the physical wallet. By adding transit, loyalty cards and contactless ticketing we have expanded the capabilities of Wallet beyond payments, and we’re now thrilled to be working with campuses on adding contactless student ID cards to bring customers even more easy, convenient and secure experiences.”
For people who have the habit to lost the student ID card, the feature also seems genuinely convenient, and potentially more secure than tying campus access and money to a small piece of plastic. Just be sure to keep a spare battery in your backpack.
