Apple’s built-in iPhone Wallet app will apparently be able to be deleted starting in iOS 16.1, according to code found by 9to5Mac and confirmed by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
If an iPhone’s Wallet app has been removed and the person tries to use an Apple Pay feature on the iPhone, the Wallet app will be downloadable from the App Store.
When iOS 16.1 launches, the Wallet app will be able to be hidden from the iPhone’s Home Screen, but not completely deleted.
Since iOS 16.1 has not yet been released, it’s impossible to test whether the Wallet app can be deleted, so it’s possible Apple could change some things before the update launches later this year.
Wallet is a key iPhone app for storing debit and credit cards for Apple Pay, Apple Pay Cash, Apple Card, loyalty cards, airline tickets and more.
Although it is unclear why Apple would allow users to delete the Wallet app, the company faces a class action lawsuit for making Apple Pay the only mobile wallet for tap-to-pay payments on iPhone.
In September, iOS 16 will be released, while iOS 16.1 will follow alongside iPadOS 16.1 later in the year. Apple has delayed the launch of iPadOS 16 in order to work on the Stage Manager multitasking feature available to M1 iPads.