Apple Begins Contactless College Student ID Program
October 2, 2018
Apple Oct. 2 officially started its student identification app within the Apple Wallet platform for the iPhone and Apple Watch.
First announced six months ago, students at Duke University and the University of Alabama and University of Oklahoma can now add their college ID card to Apple Wallet and use it to pay for laundry, coffee or lunch, and get into their dorms, the gym or the school library.
With access to the dorm, dining hall, gym, library and campus events using only their iPhone or Apple Watch, college students can now leave their physical wallets behind. The app can be used to paying for supplies at the bookstore, for laundry or off campus purchases.
The contactless payment market is projected to top $48 billion in transactions in 2018 – up 30% from 2017, according to industry estimates.
“[The] iPhone and Apple Watch have brought us into a new era of mobility, helping to transform everyday experiences,” Jennifer Bailey, VP of Internet services, said in a statement.
Bailey said the launch of Apple Pay was done to replace the physical wallet. By adding transit, loyalty cards and contactless ticketing she said Apple has expanded the capabilities of Wallet beyond payments, and we’re now thrilled to contactless student ID cards.
Johns Hopkins University, University of Santa Clara and Temple University plan to employ Apple’s contactless technology by the end of the school year.
