It was announced two months ago that Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra would be the first smartphones to be allowed to carry Germany's National electronic ID. The program was supposed to roll out before the end of this year. However, it is now being reported that the plan has been delayed to next year.
According to new reports, the eID app will be launched in June 2021. The answer to a request from the federal government shows that the app is still in development stages, and the beta version would be launched for testing in February 2021. It is being developed Federal Office for Security in Information Technology (BSI), the Federal Printing Office, and Deutsche Telekom Security GmbH.
The letter also shows why the app is currently only certified to be used on the Galaxy S20 series and if it would hamper the competition in the smartphone industry. It shows that the requirements for Secure Elements are open, and any manufacturer can implement it. The government wants to integrate as many manufacturers as it can into the eID program, and that it is in talks with several smartphone brands.
When released, the Electronic ID app in Germany would allow people to store their driver’s licenses, national health insurance cards, national ID, and other documents securely stored on their certified smartphones with NFC. Germany's new mobile eID solution has been developed as part of the OPTIMOS 2.0 project to create an open ecosystem that supports secure mobile authentication.
