New Mobile ID App Supports Biometric Access Control

Another competitor has entered the increasingly crowded mobile ID app ring. Maryland-based Pass has officially announced its myPassID app for Android and iOS.

The app is aimed at replacing physical identity credentials with a single digital one. End users can sign up with a phone number, and will be asked to upload a photo of their driver’s license along with a selfie in order to access the app’s full functionality. Once the account is active, users can confirm their identity through the app’s generation of a unique QR code.

In a statement announcing the app, Pass said that it can “sync more specific records such as COVID-19 vaccination cards/ information, ticketing, payment methods and more”. It can also be used for access control, thanks to compatibility with the CERTIFY SnapXT reader. Pass’s CERTIFY partnership also means that myPassID is compatible with other access control mechanisms offered by the latter, including facial recognition and thermal imaging.

Pass has also partnered with Tickets.com to integrate digital ticketing capabilities into the app.

The launch of myPassID offers some indication of the growing momentum behind the mobile ID app concept. While pioneers like Yoti have been blazing a trail in this space for some time now, the market looks especially crowded this month thanks to the news that European Commission officials are developing a mobile ID and wallet app for citizens of the EU, and, perhaps more importantly, Apple’s announcement that it would be bringing mobile driver’s license capabilities to its Wallet app later this year.

That having been said, Pass still may have something of an early mover advantage. Its app is available now from both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play online marketplace.

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(Originally posted on Mobile ID World)