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The electronic identity solution Smart-ID can now also be used for electronic signing and authentication on Apple Watch.
SK ID Solutions has carefully considered user demand and now proudly introduces Apple Watch support for the Smart-ID app. This significant progression enables individuals to use Smart-ID for electronic authentication and signing directly through their Apple Watch.
“Our priority has always been to heed our users’ needs, thereby offering solutions to improve their experience. This enhancement was made in response to our users who asked for the Smart-ID functionality on their smartwatches,” told Piruza Harutjunjan, Head of Business Services at SK ID Solutions. This technology upgrade will allow Smart-ID users to authenticate and sign electronically in a host of scenarios when their smartphone may not be at hand.
Using Smart-ID on the watch does not require a separate application installation. However, it assumes the presence of the Smart-ID application on your smartphone, from which all Smart-ID operations are initiated. To enhance the security of the smartwatch, Apple Watch users are advised to set a passcode on the watch.
The Apple Watch feature maintains intuitive functionality and security, mirroring the operations carried out on the user’s iPhone via Smart-ID. Displaying a sequence of transactions, such as the necessary PIN entry dialogues and control codes, users are guided through the process of confirming actions via Smart-ID. Enhanced security measures mean the user’s account information cannot be compromised from the Apple Watch. Both the smartphone and the Apple Watch should be networked through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for the Smart-ID feature to function optimally.
“Embedding Smart-ID into the Apple Watch ecosystem marks a considerable stride in our steadfast commitment to providing convenient and accessible user experiences,” said Sanita Meijere, Head of Business Relations at SK ID Solutions. “We’ve essentially made user convenience in authentication and electronic signing more attainable, given the prevalent use of both Smart-ID and the backing of over 1000 e-services, including the significant inclusion of the 12 largest Baltic banks.”
It’s worth noting that Smart-ID’s user base has reached 5 million in the Baltics, and its usage hit a record high of 85 million transactions in a single month in 2023. This functionality’s introduction into the Apple Watch is expected to facilitate greater accessibility and broader adoption of Smart-ID. Through the active scrutiny of user feedback and usage patterns, we aim to continue evaluating and enriching this new feature as part of our continued commitment to innovation.