Samsung-IDEMIA Partnership Brings Mobile IDs to Iowa Drivers

Biometrics firm IDEMIA has teamed with Samsung to bring mobile IDs to Iowa.

The collaboration, announced in a news release Monday (July 22), allows Iowa residents to store their mobile ID in their Samsung Wallet.

Residents can now use the mobile ID to confirm their identity using their mobile phone at TSA checkpoints at the Des Moines and Eastern Iowa airports, along with 25 other participating airports in the country and other participating businesses.

“The launch of Iowa mobile ID in the Samsung Wallet brings an elevated convenience and security for Iowans with Samsung smartphones for airport security screening, age-restricted products, and other identity checks,” the release said. “Iowans can easily access their mobile ID in the Samsung Wallet by simply tapping their phone near the mobile ID reader or having the mobile ID reader scan the QR code.”

Samsung and IDEMIA first announced their partnership last year, rolling it to residents of Arizona and Iowa.

“Travelers who want to take advantage of this new capability will find that their Iowa mobile ID is a convenient option when going through the security process,” said John Bright, security director for the TSA in Iowa. “TSA will continue to embrace technology that improves security effectiveness while streamlining the passenger experience at airports.”

Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote last month that the intertwined fates of digital identity and biometrics have begun to transform payments. As digital wallets gain traction, the security features fueling their use are emerging as components shaping the future of both commerce and authentication. 

For example, Mastercard recently debuted its first biometric checkout program in Europe, a face and iris payment pilot in Poland that lets users “buy with your eyes, pay with your glance,” as the company put it.

“When combined with digital IDs, which provide a secure and verifiable way to identify individuals online, the security of biometrics is further strengthened,” PYMNTS wrote. “Observers say the integration of biometric authentication and digital IDs could result in a fundamental rethink of how authentication and transaction security are approached, and ultimately help unlock the next generation potential of the digital, connected economy.”