Tesla owners have been asking for one specific feature to make their driving experience even smoother: native Apple Wallet support. While Tesla’s proprietary “Phone Key” is excellent, it still relies on the Tesla app running in the background, which can sometimes be inconsistent. Now, thanks to a recent discovery in the latest Tesla app update, it looks like the company is finally laying the groundwork to support system-level digital keys, potentially paving the way for official Apple Car Key integration.
The evidence comes from a code teardown of the Tesla mobile app, version 4.52.0. The team at Not a Tesla App discovered new strings referencing “Harmony Wallet Key Cards.” While this specifically points to Huawei’s HarmonyOS ecosystem (likely for the Chinese market), it is a massive development. It confirms that Tesla is actively building the architecture for “native” wallet keys that live directly in a phone’s operating system rather than just inside the Tesla app. This is the exact same underlying technology required for Apple Wallet and Google Wallet integration.
Why does this matter? Currently, if your Tesla app crashes or your phone aggressively kills background processes to save battery, your key might not work until you unlock your phone and reopen the app. A native Apple Wallet Car Key uses the iPhone’s Secure Element. This means your key works instantly via NFC or Ultra Wideband (UWB) without waking the phone. Even better, native support typically allows the key to function for several hours after your iPhone battery dies—a safety net that Tesla’s current app-based method cannot offer.
What do you think? Is Apple Wallet support a must-have for you, or is the current Tesla app good enough? Let us know in the comments below! Stay updated with the latest news and deals by downloading the Appleosophy App from the App Store or by visiting our website.