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Iowa planning America’s first iPhone driver’s license, working on privacy concerns

If you’re pulled over by a patrol car in Iowa, you might in future find the officer asking for your ‘iPhone and registration, please.’ The state is working on creating a smartphone app that can be shown in place of a physical license, reports the WSJ.

DOT spokeswoman Andrea Henry said that both security and privacy concerns need to be addressed before the project can proceed. Animation might be used to guard against someone showing a screengrab in place of the app, and privacy will be protected by ensuring that “the phone never leaves your hands.”

Users could hold up the phone so that police or Transportation Security Administration officers can scan the license electronically, rather than handling the phone.

The app will also need to hide notifications while it is in use, preventing a police officer having access to any other information on the phone, such as text message alerts.

MorphoTrust USA, the company working with the state to create the app, says that it is in discussion with more than 20 other states.

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eBay’s iPhone app gets new interface, quick sign-up with Drivers License scanning, iPad app gets enhancements

eBay’s iPhone application has received a significant update that affects both the user-interface and some core features.

Notably, the application’s interface has been tweaked for simplicity and features an improved bidding process for soon-to-be-ending auctions, larger photo views, and the ability to checkout multiple items simultaneously in the United States and United Kingdom.

Perhaps the most interesting and handy feature, though, is the ability to quickly sign-up for an eBay account by scanning your Drivers License with the iPhone’s camera. eBay owns high-profile barcode scanning technology, so perhaps that is used to make that new feature a reality. The free update is available on iTunes. 

eBay’s (separate) iPad app also got a notable update today: release notes below.


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