Image: Tesla
Tesla may finally be inching closer to one of the most requested features among iPhone and Android users: native mobile wallet car keys.
According to a new report from Not a Tesla App, a teardown of the latest Tesla mobile app update (v4.52.0) has uncovered code references to something called “Harmony Wallet Key Cards.” While that name doesn’t explicitly mention Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, it’s still a notable discovery — and potentially a big deal.
At first glance, the feature appears to be aimed squarely at China, leveraging Huawei’s HarmonyOS ecosystem and Huawei Wallet. The idea is straightforward but powerful: allowing a Tesla key card to live directly inside the phone’s system-level wallet, rather than relying on the Tesla app to run in the background. This is what’s commonly referred to as a “native” digital car key.
Native wallet keys offer a number of advantages over app-based Bluetooth keys. They can support Tap-to-Unlock via NFC, deeper system-level integration, and even work when a phone’s battery is critically low or fully dead. On iOS specifically, system-level integration would allow a Tesla key in your Apple Wallet to work even when your phone is powered off — something that isn’t possible today.
While the Harmony Wallet code seems tailored for China, Tesla has a history of rolling out features in its largest overseas market first before expanding globally. That’s why this discovery has reignited speculation that Apple Wallet and Google Wallet support could finally be on Tesla’s roadmap.
The timing is also hard to ignore. Just this month, Rivian rolled out native digital key support for both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet as part of its latest update, announced alongside its upcoming Autonomy+ driver-assistance system — a direct Tesla FSD competitor launching next year. Rivian’s implementation uses the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standard and includes perks like secure key sharing over iMessage and WhatsApp, Apple Watch support, and functionality that lasts hours after a phone battery dies.
Tesla owners have been asking for this for years. While Tesla’s proprietary Phone Key is generally reliable, it still depends on the app running in the background, which not only sips battery but can also occasionally be throttled or killed by mobile operating systems to save power. A native wallet key would eliminate that friction entirely.
This potential shift also fits into a broader pattern. Tesla was recently reported to be finally exploring Apple CarPlay support, and a previous Tesla app update introduced Find My-style vehicle tracking, borrowing directly from Apple’s ecosystem playbook.
For now, nothing is official. But with Harmony Wallet code now sitting inside Tesla’s mobile app, it’s clear the company is at least experimenting with native wallet integrations. Whether that stops at China — or finally opens the door to Apple and Google Wallet globally — is the real question.
