Apple is Sticking Taxpayers With Part of the Bill for Rollout of Tech Giant's Digital ID Card (cnbc.com) 122
Apple is making U.S. states foot part of the bill and provide customer support for its plan to turn iPhones into digital identification cards, according to confidential documents obtained by CNBC. From the report: The company requires states to maintain the systems needed to issue and service credentials, hire project managers to respond to Apple inquiries, prominently market the new feature and push for its adoption with other government agencies, all at taxpayer expense, according to contracts signed by four states. Apple announced in June that its users could soon store state-issued identification cards in the iPhone's Wallet app, billing it as a more secure and convenient way for customers to provide credentials in a variety of in-person and remote settings. The feature, when combined with Apple's biometric security measures like Face ID, could cut down on fraud.
But the move has brought questions from industry observers about why local authorities are ceding control of citizens' identities to a $2.46 trillion private corporation. Beyond that, the integration of identity into powerful mobile devices has drawn concern from privacy experts about the risk of dystopian scenarios involving surveillance. The contracts between Cupertino, California-based Apple and states including Georgia, Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma provide a rare glimpse into the dealings of the powerful company. Apple is known for its obsession with secrecy. It typically forces potential partners to sign non-disclosure agreements to prevent its documents from spilling into public view.
But the move has brought questions from industry observers about why local authorities are ceding control of citizens' identities to a $2.46 trillion private corporation. Beyond that, the integration of identity into powerful mobile devices has drawn concern from privacy experts about the risk of dystopian scenarios involving surveillance. The contracts between Cupertino, California-based Apple and states including Georgia, Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma provide a rare glimpse into the dealings of the powerful company. Apple is known for its obsession with secrecy. It typically forces potential partners to sign non-disclosure agreements to prevent its documents from spilling into public view.
Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:1, Troll)
Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:4, Funny)
Well, it bothers me as an Apple stock holder. I want everyone to have their lives stuffed into a smartphone.
Also, given that I have 1/3 of my portfolio in pharma, I don't want to hear any complaints about 3rd 4th and 5th jabs being mandated. In fact, If we can get taxpayers to pay for monthly or weekly injections, that would really be nice.
Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
Its an interesting point you make, and there is much knee jerk outrage. But there is the world of difference between using a private company to print ID cards (which lets face it, is just a change of scale from the government employees doing it themselves with a laser printer and a laminator) and allowing a hardware company to tie ID cards to their proprietary software.
After all, the card printing happens behind the scenes - if they want to change to a different print company it has no visible effect on the end user. But Apple are providing a storage service which also happens to be tied to their own hardware.
Perhaps this problem could be solved by allowing a third party to provide this service in a hardware agnostic manner (or at least ported to all major platforms). Or forcing Apple to provide the same service on other platforms. Either way, as it stands, it gives Apple a virtual (and maybe temporary) monopoly on these virtual ID cards and a huge first mover advantage to tie down the infrastructure so that competitors cannot enter.
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https://oklahomawatch.org/2019/05/06/even-with-digital-drivers-licenses-tag-agencies-likely-to-remain/
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Considering the taxpayers have been paying yearly for that pedo guy Musk to operate, and regularly pays for Citigroup, J.P. Morgen et al to exist, this wouldn't be too far a stretch.
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Bah, you don't get that much money from the vaccines. Heart disease is where the real pharma money is at!
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I've never found any problem with keeping an ID card in a wallet. Does this really bother people this much?
Of course it does! Digital ID's you can get over the net from a server in a matter of seconds could make voting easier for the wrong kind of people like liberals and brown people. The whole point of voter ID is to hand them out like candy in regions that vote for you but make them unobtainable in regions where they vote for liberals and brown people.
Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
Right. Closing voting registration locations and polling locations in predominately minority regions is the part that gets equated with suppressing votes and racism.
Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
Because the segregationist south spend decades perfecting the way to ensure that brown people don't vote. Yes, it was Democrats at the time, but those people have mostly flipped to Republicans, but which party it is doesn't really matter much unless your loyalty is to the party first before the country. The same sorts of tricks are being put back in place. So if your voter laws hinder poorer classes more than the middle class and wealthy, then they've biased the elections in a certain direction. Since there is a larger percentage of minorities who are poor compared to the percentage as middle class or wealthy, those laws do cause lower voting participation of minorities.
The key point here is that many the people pushing these laws KNOW this, because these are the same ideas they used during segregation and they're still alive today.
A voter ID if used must be affordable and easy to use and not come with hindrances. A hindrance to voting is a detriment to democracy. The right to vote in a democracy, I feel, is more important than any other right in the constitution, because without the right to vote there is no ability to defend any other right.
The goal of only allowing citizens to vote is good and fine. However it must also come with the goal that no citizens are hindered from voting! No one should ever be penalized for driving over a bus load of elderly minority citizens to vote, and yet when this happens you see the flame bait headlines about how people are being bused in to vote illegally. If there is a long line of citizens waiting to vote when the polls close, then that is a failure of the state to arrange the elections properly, and their right to vote should not be infringed. So shoo away those who come late, but if they're in line keep the polls open until they get through it. Do not scrimp on the number of polling locations, do not limit the hours without reason, allow early voting, allow mail in voting, allow any secure way of allowing MORE citizens to vote.
And most of all don't freak out when your favorite guy loses an election and blame it all on fraud and start restricting the rights of citizens that you disagree with from voting. In a democracy, one should be prepared to lose an election gracefully. If your state flips from red to blue or blue to red, don't freak out, instead you just need to do a better job of appealing to the voters in the next election.
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Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:4, Interesting)
Actually, you can do a lot of that without government issued ID. A lot of poor people don't have bank accounts - see the recent Slashdot article about reinstating some bank services at the post office.
If even ONE person can't get a voting ID card, can't get off of work to get one, etc, then this is a hindrance and needs to be rectified.
Also, voter ID cards are not actually solving any real problem that exists. They're being pushed every election when someone loses because there are claims of massive voter fraud, despite lack of evidence. There are plenty of ways to prove your identity, and all polling places in the country will catch if the same registered voter has voted more than once; it is highly impractical to attempt voter fraud at the ballot box, or with duplicated mail in ballots, etc. It's vastly easier to just lose the ballot box, or discard mail in ballots. So until there's a real reason for voter IDs, why is it being pushed??
TRUMP voted by mail! Massive numbers of Republicans voted by mail. A lot of Red states have had mail in ballots of years. Now all of a sudden Trump loses and OMG we can't have mail in ballots anymore? What can go wrong if you mail in a ballot - it goes to the post office - ie, government officials - the signatures are checked, the names are checked, duplicates tossed out, etc. The mail in ballot system works, it's secure, and this has been shown to work over many years.
Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:2)
Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:1, Insightful)
Given that the COVID vaccination cards are being misused to circumvent the law and, potentially, place others at risk - yes.
Still, my state (VA) had everyone who got the job register with a system. Why is that âoeproofâ not readily available to the person involved and the insurance companies that paid for it, hospital ER wings, and shared, with permission, with their medical providers.
Why are we carrying cardboard cards that can be forged?
Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:4, Funny)
I think it is time for your medicine, Dude.
Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Informative)
I think you need to check the data again. It's true that fully vaccinated people *can* be carriers, but the frequency is a lot lower. They also have much lower rate of transmitting it to others, though the reason for that may be arguable.
Basically, your first two paragraphs are wrong, and to me your third is incoherrent.
Nothing is perfect, but quantities and proportions matter.
Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, for one thing, I don't want to had an opened up phone to law enforcement or any other official to show ID.
They then can search the phone to their hearts delight as that you've basically consented to search with this action.
And its my phone...it isn't my ID store.
I've gotten along just fine for decades using a real life analog wallet, and carrying my real life analog ID, ATM and credit cards with absolutely no problems.
This seems a solution in search of a problem.
Re:Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:4, Insightful)
Well, for one thing, I don't want to hand an opened up phone to law enforcement or any other official to show ID.
What makes you think you would have to unlock an iPhone for this? An iPhone can do lots of things while being locked. Your ID information is stored encrypted with the states private key on your iPhone. The phone can display this information as a QR code, for example. And then a police offer with the public key can read it. At no point is it necessary to unlock your iPhone for this.
The police officer can see the current date and time, the weather, they can take photos (but not look at photos), use the calculator, make emergency calls, but nothing that hurts your privacy.
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Even so, I don't want to hand anything to an officer except a state issued ID card.
This has worked for all time to present, why fix something that works?
Handing them a phone, likely still had implications that once they have it in their possession, they are free to do what they wish with it for searches, I believe there are some implications for you giving consent when you hand them one of your devices.
I may be wrong, but, why take the chance?
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What makes you think you would have to unlock an iPhone for this? The phone can display this information as a QR code
So, what you are saying, is that ANYONE could use your phone as your ID if they take it?
And if they can prevent you from reporting it stolen, they can use it indefinitely?
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The "problem" is that people still carry wallets. This is part of the push to get everyone to put their entire lives into their phone so that big tech can make money off of you. Loyalty cards, done. Business cards, done. Insurance cards, done. Credit cards, done, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, etc... If you really need cash for something - ATM card, done. As long as there is ONE thing that keeps a wallet in your pocket, you have an excuse not to put everything else on your phone. If they eliminate the
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Re: Are they giving everybody a free phone? (Score:2)
Not quite sure why my first comment was marked as a Troll except it caused one guy to show signs of mental instability and violent tendencies because he is clearly against a standardized and secure method to confirm immunization status.
It was not intended for that purpose.
But, the information is being collected by those administering the vaccine at registration. What isnâ(TM)t captured then is vaccine LOT. That is important in the event there is an issue with a given LOT. Thatâ(TM)s an easy fix
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Just sell it, some idiot is gonna pay a fortune for it.
But Voter ID is Verbotten (Score:2)
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You trust Apple a lot more than I trust anybody I know know personally. That it *could* act the way you describe is probably accurate, or at least nearly accurate. That it would is a far different assertion. And that you could prove that it did is extremely unlikely.
Seems a waste (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple announced in June that its users could soon store state-issued identification cards in the iPhone's Wallet app
Look.. various states already have their own Apps for this. see myColorado [state.co.us], uTah mDL [mobiledl.us], LaWallet [lawallet.com]
This is what they should do; if states are paying for the infrastructure -- produce a solution which works equally with the same functionality for all smart phones and is not iPhone-specific
If Apple want's a special "Wallet" tool on their Smartphones, then they should work with Google and develop an Industry-neutral standard. JMO... No government resources should be spent on creating or supporting a solution specific to a single smartphone manufacturer.
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no mod points at my disposal, all I have is an attaboy!
mod up!
Re: Seems a waste (Score:2)
I wonder if Apple is the first to propose it as a standard feature of their phone.
As noted other states, insurance companies (medical, auto, etc), etc. have apps that do this.
Having a standard by which this info is shared to a single place, such as a digital wallet, makes good sense.
As for having taxpayers pay for it? If the state has to do work, it comes out of taxpayers money. As this would be a new interface, hopefully, shared with other phone and os providers, itâ(TM)s gonna cost someone.
Now, if
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"Apple is sticking taxpayers with part of the bill for rollout of tech giant’s digital ID card"
"Apple requires states to maintain the systems needed to issue and service credentials at taxpayer expense, according to contracts signed by four states."
"Apple has “sole discretion” for key aspects of the program." https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/1... [cnbc.com]
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Apple requires states to maintain the systems needed to issue and service credentials at taxpayer expense, according to contracts signed by four states.
And the alternative is? Apple maintains all the systems that the citizens of those states would use. What state would ever agree to this? No state would agree to this.
"Apple has “sole discretion” for key aspects of the program." because Apple built the platform. What part of app development is no
Re: Seems a waste (Score:5, Insightful)
if itâ(TM)s just Apple who gets the beneft, then Apple SHOULD pay for it. If others will be participating, even eventually, it doesnâ(TM)t fall on Apple but the state to pay for it as infrastructure.
Ok, well it is not 100% just Apple who gets the benefit... Apple users who are taxpayers in the state also get the benefit (at least in theory...
For the portion of those people who actually can afford and do own a smartphone and also need or want this). It should be fine as long as some combination of Apple and the specific people who use that pay for it - And don't shoulder the burden to All taxpayers. Specifically... Taxpayers who cannot get the same benefit from the digital ID because they have an Android phone instead, or whatever, should not have to pay for added costs from Apple
In some states the Digital ID has an extra fee to obtain in addition to the Physical driver's license, and that makes sense... So long as they are still printing physical licenses; Just have the government recover all costs through a User Fee charged to only those people who are using the specific service .
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"The company requires states to maintain the systems needed to issue and service credentials, hire project managers to respond to Apple inquiries, prominently market the new feature and push for its adoption with other government agencies, all at taxpayer expense, according to contracts signed by four states."
"Apple has “sole discretion” for key aspects of the program, including what types of devices will be compatible with the digital IDs, how stat
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No moron, it's for Apple and no one else.
Dear cheeseball, just because Apple wants control of the process does not mean the purpose of the project is not to benefit people who happen to be Apple's customers. I don't see why the government should agree to have Project managers who comport with Apple or market for them -- there must/should be a public benefit for the government to sign a contract however.
Re:Seems a waste (Score:5, Informative)
If Apple want's a special "Wallet" tool on their Smartphones, then they should work with Google and develop an Industry-neutral standard.
They did? https://www.iso.org/standard/6... [iso.org] Lets be clear, Apple isn't mandating that states support this feature. This is an ISO standard that the entire industry has been developing for years, the states have chosen to add support for this new technology. The fact that states have already been releasing their own apps demonstrates that there's demand for such a feature. States are paying for their side of the infra, Apple is paying for it's side.
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A big difference though is Apple's wallet app can make that ID available on the lock screen without you having to unlock your phone and thus keep LEOs from having an implied right to copy your phone data. Most of the state apps don't have that ability (and it's hard to let it in since it can be an easy way to break
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"Importantly, in its contract, Apple shifts responsibility for confirming the authenticity of user identities onto states."
Is this a problem? Shouldn't States confirm people's identities and not Apple?
It sounds like government departments are lousy negotiators, but the article includes a lot of hand wavy about how the contracts are somehow unfair.
I guess Apple hate gets clicks.
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If Apple want's a special "Wallet" tool on their Smartphones, then they should work with Google and develop an Industry-neutral standard.
And if the states asked this feature of Apple?
No government resources should be spent on creating or supporting a solution specific to a single smartphone manufacturer.
Partially agree. Apps can be specific to platforms and development must be specific to that platform. The contents should not be platform specific. For example many government documents are in PDF format which often requires Adobe PDF software to create the documents; however, reading the PDF does not require any software from Adobe.
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Partially agree. Apps can be specific to platforms and development must be specific to that platform.
Yes; I mean they should not provide unequal support or capabilities to different manufacturers' devices nor deliver infrastructure or solutions that only one manufacturer's smart phones can use. It's perfectly fine for them to make an iPhone App which naturally will require some platform-specific testing and development, if they also make an Android App that has all the same capabilities.
Any cost differ
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This is what they should do; if states are paying for the infrastructure -- produce a solution which works equally with the same functionality for all smart phones and is not iPhone-specific
I'd get the company that is better than any other at writing iPhone software, and then I'd get the best possible company for writing Android software. And work with them so that the same software can be used in 50 states to save cost.
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Does Apple already provide non discriminatory access to NFC functionality? I remember from some payment app hubbub that they didn't in the past. Just with open Apple APIs it might be impossible to implement it elegantly, though I'd argue in that case they should simply force Apple to provide non discriminatory access.
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As I recall they do for all the NFC features except actual payment processing.
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Does Apple already provide non discriminatory access to NFC functionality?
I would call it Discriminatory, but it's not likely to affect a "Driver's License App" which does not have anything to do with making or receiving payments -- assuming they collect any usage fees through In-app purchases using Apple payments on the iPhone.
Most iPhone Apps have full access to NFC functionality Core NFC [apple.com].
However, All iPhone apps have an application ID which is assigned to the app based on what kind of App it is, For e
Charging is fine, but... (Score:4, Insightful)
Look, Apple charging states to make some form of state ID is perfectly reasonable. Software is not free. The problem is if you have to have Apple products to get this ID or even have to have a digital ID. THOSE are major rights violations.
Anything you can do with a digital ID you should be able to do with a paper one that can not track you.
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This is incorrect. The system is based on an ISO standard that can be used by any competitor (ISO 18013-5). Also, Apple is not charging states anything. They are requiring states to build and maintain their own infrastructure to support their side of the equation (issuing and validating IDs). This is a reasonable request.
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“It’s like a vendor relationship, which makes no sense to me because it’s the states that have the monopoly on what they’re giving to Apple, they could presumably negotiate a much more equal contract,” Mikula said in an interview. “I don’t know of any other example where government-owned systems and identity credentials were made available for commercial purposes in this manner.” https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/1... [cnbc.com]
You can fuck off now.
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I don't see how your post invalidates anything I said. The fact that you resorted to insults only means you have no valid points to make.
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Seems like a really bad idea (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Seems like a really bad idea (Score:5, Insightful)
I'd bet not since you already don't have to unlock your phone to show TSA agents your boarding pass that just shows on the lock screen. Of course the phone knows to do that based on the time of the flight and current time. How you'd trigger your phone to display your ID is uncertain. (Perhaps a button-press sequence?)
That said, I'm still not a fan of digital IDs since it's often the case that a cop takes your physical card into possession at least for a little while. Even if it's still otherwise locked, I don't want my phone in a cop's possession.
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That said, I'm still not a fan of digital IDs since it's often the case that a cop takes your physical card into possession at least for a little while. Even if it's still otherwise locked, I don't want my phone in a cop's possession.
Haven't used digital boarding passes or NFR payment, have you... When scanned, the "ID" (on my phone) never leaves my possession, whoever is scanning has their own apparatus (boarding pass scanner/NFR reader).
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Yes, I have. That's how I know how they work as I described.
Yes? And? What does this have to do with what I wrote, which was:
Note that this paragr
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Haven't used digital boarding passes or NFR payment, have you...
Yes, I have. That's how I know how they work as I described.
When scanned, the "ID" (on my phone) never leaves my possession, whoever is scanning has their own apparatus (boarding pass scanner/NFR reader).
Yes? And? What does this have to do with what I wrote, which was:
That said, I'm still not a fan of digital IDs since it's often the case that a cop takes your physical card into possession at least for a little while.
You don't appear to realize that people will be able to present their Digital IDs with devices as small as Apple Watches. When using Digital ID's the scan does not take place in your absence, because much like NFR payments, you authenticate the transaction with touchID/FaceID/tapping the crown on a previously authenticated Apple Watch. Thus, whoever is asking for your Digital ID is bringing his reader to you or bringing you to his reader.
See: https://www.apple.com/newsroom... [apple.com]
In particular this part: "custom
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And what do you do when you are asked for your ID by a cop whose police department hasn't issued him a fancy reader? There are nearly 18,000 police agencies in the US. How long until all of them have such readers, if ever?
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And what do you do when you are asked for your ID by a cop whose police department hasn't issued him a fancy reader? There are nearly 18,000 police agencies in the US. How long until all of them have such readers, if ever?
Equipping everyone that needs a reader with one is the biggest thing slowing down the deployment of Digital ID’s and I never said otherwise. By your the time a state or agency decides to accept Digital ID’s they will be equipped or not performing roles where they would need one.
Nobody will be taking your phone or watch away to verify your digital ID, _again_THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS!
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Yes, because every cop everywhere follows the law to the letter all the time.
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Still being willfully ignorant I see. If a cop asks you for ID in a state where Digital ID is accepted and you present your ID on an Apple Watch for him to verify your Digital ID, he has precisely one way to get it: having a reader it. If he asks for the watch to take it back to his squad car, it immediately locks as you take it off and is useless to him. Yeah, THATS what he's going to do, uh hunh, suuure, right before he calls up his bug-eyed alien friends to come and anal probe you. And you know this beca
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For someone with fantasies of Cops stealing phones, you're awfully dismissive of others.
Either come back to reality and explain why cops would take a device away that becomes non-functional as soon as it is taken away (other than with "i hate cops") or explain why the aliens released you so quickly. Reality or fantasyland, your choice.
Re:Seems like a really bad idea (Score:4, Informative)
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How in iPhones? I have to unlock to access Wallet app.
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Um, I don't want to enter my financial datas. Just my digital licenses, passes, etc.
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How? I don't see the option to do that.
Re:Seems like a really bad idea (Score:4, Informative)
No. Or rather, not with wallet. You can show cards in wallet without unlocking the phone. You need to authenticate to make payments etc, but IIRC that doesn't unlock the phone, either.
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So, when the police ask to see my ID I'll have to unlock my phone and give it to them to view said ID.
No, you don't have to unlock your phone. iPhones can do lots of things without being unlocked.
Why is anyone suprised?! (Score:1)
Tail wagging the dog (Score:2)
When corporations are making demands of governments instead of the other way around it gets easier to see how much of an oligarchy we've become.
Requirement (Score:2)
No state is being forced to work with Apple. As a poster above points out, several states have their own sate ID applications. So, who cares?
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In communism, the government controls the economy.
Fortunately, capitalism is the exact opposite of it.
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Apple is making U.S. states foot part of the bill and provide customer support for its plan to turn iPhones into digital identification cards, according to confidential documents obtained by CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/1... [cnbc.com]
So you can stop trolling for Apple. You didn't read the article. You can fuck off now.
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Apple is making U.S. states foot part of the bill and provide customer support for its plan to turn iPhones into digital identification cards, according to confidential documents obtained by CNBC
AGAIN, how is that different than EVERY OTHER COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL that makes an app? Please answer that simple question. In all the apps I've created for multiple platforms, the multiple companies I worked for had to provide customer support. We just didn't launch an app with zero costs.
So you can stop trolling for Apple. You didn't read the article. You can fuck off now.
Shall we go over every paragraph to show you how much you do not understand ?
States paying for ID is OK (Score:2)
States paying Apple is most definitely NOT OK.
Apple is the distilled essence of evil
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States paying Apple is most definitely NOT OK.
Apple is the distilled essence of evil
Unfortunately, there is no downvote for -1 (deluded).
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States should not pay to develop Apple's platform.
1)So everything should be free then? Have you thought one iota of what you write. 2) States are paying to develop ON Apple's platform. That "on" is an important detail you do not seem to understand.
Read the article before you post. You may look less like a dick sucking ass-hole.
Homophobic insults. Seems like this is who you are.
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Lucky for you they aren't! States are paying to deploy and maintain their own infrastructure to support the ISO 18013-5 mDL standard that Apple and other vendors can use to issue digital IDs. Everybody wins.
Misleading headline as usual. (Score:5, Insightful)
From TFA:
The company requires states to maintain the systems needed to issue and service credentials, hire project managers to respond to Apple inquiries, prominently market the new feature and push for its adoption with other government agencies, all at taxpayer expense, according to contracts signed by four states.
Apple isn't "sticking" anything to anyone. States opt-in to the program and Apple is basically requiring them to pay for and maintain the infrastructure on their side of things. Seems pretty reasonable to me.
Secondly, this isn't Apple proprietary technology. It uses ISO standard 18013-5 mDL which means anyone can use it, even competitors!
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Apple has “sole discretion” for key aspects of the program, including what types of devices will be compatible with the digital IDs, how states are required to report on the performance of the effort, and when the program is launched, according to the documents. Apple even gets to review and approve the marketing that states are required to do.
The dynamic is similar to the way Apple typically deals with vendors, although instead of getting paid by Apple, the states have t
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Not so fast ass-hole.
Let me reiterate that this is an ISO standard system, not proprietary to Apple.
https://www.iso.org/standard/69084.html
Secondly, Apple can only dictate which Apple devices are compatible with the open standard, not other vendors devices.
George Orwell got it right with 1984 but he failed (Score:2)
Morons (Score:4, Interesting)
"States have to agree to wide-ranging efforts designed to ensure the adoption of Apple’s digital IDs, including by offering the new feature “proactively” and at no additional cost whenever a citizen gets new or replacement identification cards."
"States also have to help spur adoption of the new IDs with “key stakeholders in federal and state government” like the Internal Revenue Service, state and local law enforcement, and businesses that restrict users by age who are “critical to the Program achieving a sufficient level of acceptance.”
"While the state agencies have to “prominently feature the Program in all public-facing communications relating to Digital Identity Credentials,” the marketing efforts are “subject in all cases to Apple’s prior review and approval.”
"All these efforts are paid for by states. The contract says that “except as otherwise agreed upon between the Parties, neither Party shall owe the other Party any fees under this Agreement.”
"The end result is that states bear the burden of maintaining technology systems at taxpayer expense, a move that ultimately benefits Apple and its shareholders by making its devices even more essential than they already are.
“Apple’s interest is clear – sell more iPhones,” Phan said in an interview. “The state’s interest is to serve its citizens, but I’m not sure why they think a partnership with one specific technology company that owns a closed ecosystem is the best way to do it. For the state to spend taxpayer’s money on a product that serves only half its citizens is questionable.” https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/1... [cnbc.com]
What am I missing? (Score:2)
If states want secure digital driver's licenses on phones, why SHOULDN'T they pay for it? Apple doesn't need to care if you have digital license or not. It's not benefiting from the convenience of it either.
This seems a lot like "I want to develop an app to do XYZ for iPhones, but Apple expects me to pay for that development".
I understand that Apple tangentially benefits from its users have another benefit of using Apple products - but that's about a 3 light year stretch to say Apple should develop that t
The case for this solution (Score:2)
Let every state roll their own from scratch. Then loop back and see how many projects:
- failed outright
- were wildly over budget
- delivered but were unusable
- delivered and were never used
Then see how many of the failed projects were backed by IBM, Oracle, Accenture, etc..
People are dumb. (Score:2)
Are the automakers sticking it to taxpayers to build roads so they can sell cars?
Airbus and Boeing profiting from municipal airports?
Ikea sells glasses you can drink water from. Kohler makes sinks and bathtubs.
Why aren't they subsidizing water treatment plants?
On and on and on.
Is this Google and Samsun astroturf, or just another lame Apple attack?
People are dumb.