• connecticut,  digital wallet,  ios,  lifestyle

    CT Appears to Have Abandoned It’s Digital ID Plans

    October 21, 2026 /
    Image Source: CTMirror.org

    It appears that Connecticut has decided to drastically overhaul or has abandoned its Mobile ID driver’s license initiative and support for digital IDs, like those used by Apple Wallet on iPhones.

    On May 27 Connecticut DMV commissioner Tony Guerrera was quoted by John Craven, writing for News12.com, as saying that the state’s mobile ID initiate would be launching soon as a standalone iOS and Android app.

    “We’re on the verge of launching this very soon,” he said. “I’m hoping within the next few months.”

    It’s been a long time in coming.

    In 2021, Apple announced that Connecticut would be among the first states to adopt a state ID in Apple Wallet. Instead, Guerrera said Connecticut will now launch a standalone app like New York – at least for now.

    “When this first came out, a lot of states did jump on board and they did this,” Guerrera said. “Then come to find out they had to re-do it all because of TSA issues or whatever may be.”

    Five years ago, Apple, along with Connecticut and seven other US states, announced plans for Digital IDs that could be securely added to Connecticut residents iPhones.

    As an IT professional, I was encouraged that the Connecticut DMV would do the work to implement a secure and privacy preserving system for mobile IDs. I have already added my US passport as my government issued Digital ID using the Apple Wallet system. Bank and credit cards have been a main stay in Apple Wallet since Apple Pay was launched all the way back in 2014. Apple Wallet cards on an iPhone are a quick, convenient, secure, and private solution for digital IDs and payment cards on iPhone and Apple Watch. My friends using Android smartphones have a similarly secure wallet feature also. In today’s mobile first digital lifestyle, tools like digital wallets are very useful.

    Fast forward to 2026, at least 15 states have successfully implemented a digital driver’s license program, including four of the original eight states the pledged support alongside Connecticut (Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, and Maryland). Arizona’s program appears to be a robust solution. All of them support Apple Wallet digital IDs and driver’s licenses. Connecticut as yet, still hasn’t implemented the feature yet.

    While doing research for this post, I was able to find the CT.gov website for Mobile ID and the Mobile ID for Individuals Getting Started page. The Get your Mobile ID page appeared to include website developer comments that had been published to the public Internet. Such a simple oversite gave me pause and raises several technical and security related concerns about the DMV’s we’ll make our own app attitude.

    I reached out to Mr. Guerrera on August 20, 2026, to inquire about the status of the Mobile ID program and to express some of my concerns, which include:

    • Can the Connecticut DMV clearly articulate the TSA and any other technical issues cited by Mr. Guerrera in the News12.com article from May of 2026?
    • Is there an implementation plan that residents can follow for progress updates on new Connecticut Mobile ID program on social media or the CT.gov website?
    • Is the new Mobile ID program being developed by DMV IT employees, or is the coding work being outsourced to a third-party firm, like New York’s program?
    • What data integrity and cyber-security safeguards are being implemented to protect collected data from cyber adversaries? Will 256-bit Advanced Encryption System (256-bit AES) be used to encrypt the Mobile ID database?
    • How will the new Mobile ID system be audited to ensure the system is not misused by unauthorized employees, contractors, or local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies?

    At the time of publication, there has not been any comment from the Commissioner’s office regarding my email inquiries. In my opinion, having a good cyber-security and auditing program will go a long way toward ensuring that resents data remains private and secure. At the time of this writing, I also discovered that the DMV’s Mobile ID pages have been taken down.

    I am left to wonder what technical, procedural, or legislative problems the Connecticut DMV is contending with. Back in August, it appeared that the new Mobile ID program was set to launch any day given Mr. Guerrera May comments and posted web pages.

    Is the Connecticut DMV going to make another overhaul of the Mobile ID program, or have plans for a mobile smartphone-based ID system been silently abandoned all together?

    For now, Connecticut residents will need to keep waiting.

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  • apple,  ipad,  iphone,  lifestyle,  mac,  newton,  retail,  trumbull

    An End of an Era

    May 7, 2026 /

    It’s the end of an era. On June 20, 2026, Apple Trumbull will close it’s doors for the last time.

    Apple Trumbull’s grand opening was on Oct. 11, 2014, at 10:00am. I was there with my Dad. We were customers #15 and 16. You could say that we’ve been there, done that, and we have the t-shirts.

    Except for me, for the two of us really, it hasn’t been a one-and-done thing. We kept going back. Year after year. For iPhones. For Macs. For iPads. For Apple TVs. Apple Watch and AirPods. And yes, for me specifically, more HomePods than I should probably admit and even an M2 Vision Pro! (I still use Vision Pro multiple times a week for watching streaming TV and movies.)

    It isn’t just about the products. It is the sense of community and friendships. I’ve met many people who are just as enthusiastic about the Mac and iPhone as I am. Members of the Business Team became trusted partners for equipment purchases and upgrades.

    iPhone Pro launch days became an annual event, my Super Bowl if you will, that we would all look forward to. Dad and I would don our 🍎 Trumbull t-shirts and get in line early on iPhone Friday mornings.

    ‘What can I help you with today?” a cheerful Trumbull employee would aways ask. “I’m here to pick up a new Samsung Galaxy S-something or other” would be my playful response.

    I didn’t stop with just the Store t-shirt. In later years, I have ramped up the shenanigans and brought “special guests” with me. It started off small. I would bring my working (without service) 2007 iPhone.

    Then, I got the bright idea to bring a Newton MessagePad 2000. A year later, a restored original Newton MessagePad 100. Who wouldn’t want to take a family reunion photo with the OG iPhone, an Issac, and a Newton? Get it? An “Issac” and a “Newton”. Even 50 years later, there are still sparks of playful whimsey inside the massive corporation that Apple has become.

    Buying a new white iPhone 11 Pro? While not bring all of my other white iPhones from my collection for a family photo? Even the very fashionably late white iPhone 4. Then came the WWDC jackets when they lined up with iPhone models…13, 14, and 16. (There are other jackets, but I wasn’t able to find them in my size on eBay.)

    Buying my first titanium iPhone? Let’s charge up my PowerBook G4 Titanium, a favorite of mine, and boot into Classic MacOS 9.22 so the “kids” can see Microsoft Word and iTunes while my iCloud restore from backup is running on my new iPhone.

    For my last trip to Apple Trumbull later this year, I want to plan something fun, if not a little over the top, for one more photo opportunity.

    There are other Apple Stores in Connecticut, and I will still go to one to purchase a new iPhone on launch day. But it won’t be the same. Trumbull is “my” store.

    Apple has already announced that when Trumbull does finally close, the staff will keep their jobs and transfer to other nearby stores. I am happy to hear that everyone will land on their feet.

    And that means when this year’s fall iPhone launch day comes around again, there is a chance to see familiar faces again.

    My next closest store is Apple New Haven. The full list of Connecticut Apple Stores can be found on Apple.com.

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  • lifestyle

    Happy Thanksgiving

    November 27, 2025 /

    With so much going on in our communities, our country, and around the world, it is easy to get lost in the noise. My prayer for all of you is that you can able to connect with family and friends and enjoy today as a way to reconnect and take stock in the good things that we have been given. Keep the faith. Fight the good fight. All is well in the end.

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  • lifestyle

    Happy Thanksgiving

    November 28, 2024 /


    May your Thanksgiving be full of peace, love, and joy!

    The year ending this past September has been a very difficult time for me. I am thankful for my family and friends who helped me get through it. I am so grateful for all of you. And pickleball! Who knew I’d be any good at a sport?! I didn’t! And it has become a great way to get out of the house, socialize, relieve stress, and exercise.

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  • lifestyle

    Merry Christmas

    December 25, 2023 /

    May the new born Christ Child bring peace, love, and mercy to you and your family. Amen.

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your friends at Smartphone Fanatics!

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  • lifestyle

    Happy Thanksgiving

    November 23, 2023 /

    This year, I am thankful for my family and friends who are helping me through a difficult time.

    I am also thankful for the many things that I have, including my healthy, and my job, and you, the reader of this blog.

    Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

    -Alan

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  • lifestyle

    Happy 4th of July!

    July 4, 2023 /

    This year as you celebrate our nation’s independence, it is a good time to remember that we are all Americans regardless of religious ideology, political affiliation, or who we choose to love. Our nation is much better when we are united rather than divided over petty “Us” vs. “Them” debates. On this 4th of July, it is important that we remember that there is no “Them”. It’s just “Us”, We the People.

    Happy Independence Day! Now, stop reading the Internet and go eat way too much BBQ with your family and friends!

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