Samsung said on Thursday it will offer a digital key service for the first time with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, where smartphones can be used to open and lock car doors.

The service uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology and those with a Fold 3 can use it to open and lock doors of the Genesis GV60 electric vehicle by merely being in close proximity to the car, the South Korean tech giant said. UWB, like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, is a short-range radio communication technology used to transmit data known to be highly precise.

Samsung will offer the service through a software update later this year.

Besides the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Galaxy S21 Plus, Galaxy S21 Ultra, and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra will also support the digital key service using UWB technology.

Other devices such as the Galaxy S20, Galaxy 20 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 will also support the service, but will use near-field communication technology instead.

According to Samsung, the service can also be used to turn on the engine, to open and close the truck, and control the mirrors of the car.

The user can also share the digital key with others with a Galaxy smartphone using the Samsung Pass app, the company said.

Samsung Pass comes with an embedded secure element feature for security.

The company's digital key follows the standard set by Car Connectivity Consortium, an organisation that works on creating open standards for digital keys.

In January, Samsung said it has plans to offer digital key services for automobile brands Audi, BMW, and Ford.

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