Reporters experience Apple Wallet digital key feature and expect more hotels to support this service

Last June, Apple previewed the “digital key” feature based on the Apple Wallet wallet application at the WWDC 2021 Worldwide Developers Conference. In December, Excelle Hotels was the first to announce support for Apple Wallet’s “digital room key” feature. On Tuesday, technology reporter Rich DeMuro shared a 56-second video on YouTube, detailing the entire process of checking in via the iPhone.

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As a pilot feature rolling out gradually, this demo gave us fairly high expectations, although we won’t be able to pop in with our iPhone /Apple Watch anytime soon. In addition to adding a room digital key to your phone, Rich DeMuro showed how to use the “digital key” to unlock floor access and, ultimately, a guest room. By default, Quick Unlock mode also allows users to place their iPhone near the correct door lock to unlock their hotel room reservation without first unlocking the device.

As of December 2021, Excelle has offered the service at six hotels in Illinois, Florida, Hawaii, Texas and California. But in addition to room keys, Apple has also partnered with state governments to store digital IDs and verifiable COVID-19 vaccination cards in the wallet app.

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