iPhone Users Can Now Share Digital Car Keys With Pixel Users, Wider Android Support Coming Soon

In 2020, Apple introduced a digital car key feature that allows users to unlock and start a compatible vehicle by bringing an iPhone or Apple Watch near the driver-side door. The car keys are stored in the Wallet app in the same way that a credit card is. The feature is currently limited to select BMW, Kia, and Genesis vehicles.

bmw digital key plus wallet app car key
Apple has been working with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and others to establish an industry standard for sharing digital keys across platforms. As part of this effort, Apple today announced that iPhone users can now share car keys in the Wallet app with Pixel device users through apps such as Messages, Mail, and WhatsApp. Simply choose a car key in the Wallet app, tap the Share button, and follow the steps.

Apple says Google will be expanding this functionality to select other smartphones running Android 12 or later soon.

Key sharing support was enabled on the iPhone with iOS 16.1 in late October. Apple outlines additional information regarding key sharing in the Wallet app in a support document, including steps to revoke access to a shared car key.

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Top Rated Comments

totom_ Avatar
31 months ago
Can somebody check-in with the devil and ask him if hell froze over?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
exoticSpice Avatar
31 months ago

Why would I share my car key with someone that has an android phone. Clearly I’d be under duress ???
Thank God I don't live in America
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3530025 Avatar
31 months ago

99.999% couldn't care less about that.
Judging just by yourself and your iPhone bubble. Guess what, rest of the world have more Android phones than iPhones. It's always great to have people connected and not locked in one ecosystem.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
31 months ago
Why would I share my car key with someone that has an android phone. Clearly I’d be under duress ???
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gengar Avatar
31 months ago
This, but no RCS support...

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DanTheMan827 Avatar
31 months ago
Great! Now maybe they can work on sharing AirTags...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)