Will smartphone ownership become a de facto requirement?

[ZLoth]

One of my hangups with getting a new phone is the de-evolution in recent years, fueled by manufacturers blindly following Apple. I absolutely need expandable storage (so that I can have backups saved there to be easily retrieved in case of failure) and a headphone jack (so that I can connect with my car's stereo), but these features have been relegated to budget models that have awful cameras or underpowered chips.

For the lack of a headphone jack, you can use a Bluetooth adapter such as this small one I purchased it so that I could turn a hotel room radio into a music player.

As for the lack of a SD storage card, one thing that I noticed is that if the streaming service (HBO Max, Disney+, Criterion) has a download-for-offline-viewing option, that download will be only to the phone main storage. Storage to removable media just isn't allowed. Again, a good reason why I got a phone with 256GB of internal storage.

[elsmere241]

And, since my office is in Montréal while I live in Connecticut....is there a non-smartphone way to use the ArriveCan app?

Yes.  I did it last month.  You just have to be able to scan your COVID vaccine card, and then once you set your time and place for arrival, you can print what you need out on paper.  (And you can do more than one person at a time.)  We were close to our arrival time, and they didn't ask for our paper, apparently just looked us up.

[MikeTheActuary]

I wonder what are the limiting apps. My phone is 5 model years and probably 4 physical years old. Android 9.
Some games are slower than I would want; battery is showing the age; but really it is still ok with me. I flirt with idea of replacement once in a while, but that's it ..

In my case, it's the battery that drives my phone replacement cycle.

I originally made the jump from iPhone to Android several years ago, when I got frustrated that my iPhone battery would no longer last through a simple run to the grocery store.  The phone was otherwise fine for my needs; I just wanted to easily replace the battery.

Sadly, that's not even an option for most Android phones anymore.

[bing101]

Smartphone is a defacto requirement if you are looking for a job and recruiters need to reach you right away. Plus if you want to enter the offices in some places you need to download a company issued app as a pass.

[1995hoo]

I wonder what are the limiting apps. My phone is 5 model years and probably 4 physical years old. Android 9.
Some games are slower than I would want; battery is showing the age; but really it is still ok with me. I flirt with idea of replacement once in a while, but that's it ..

In my case, it's the battery that drives my phone replacement cycle.

I originally made the jump from iPhone to Android several years ago, when I got frustrated that my iPhone battery would no longer last through a simple run to the grocery store.  The phone was otherwise fine for my needs; I just wanted to easily replace the battery.

Sadly, that's not even an option for most Android phones anymore.

I had my iPhone X battery replaced earlier this year by a third-party store at the mall. While I might have been able to find instructions online to do it myself, I don't trust my fingers to handle those tiny little screws. I'd have to look through my e-mail to find the cost, but it was less than $100 and it has worked just fine since then. I believe the repair is $69 at an Apple Store, but at the time the two nearby locations were not open normal hours due to COVID protocols, and the place I went is a more convenient location anyway.

Even if the aftermarket battery only lasts two years, it's still cheaper than buying a new phone when my current one otherwise works just fine for my needs.

[MikeTheActuary]

Additions to my list of things I wish I had my phone for:

• Calendar
  
• Calculator
  

My non-smartphone can do all of the above.

Unless things have really changed, I doubt that a non-smartphone would have the calendaring features I require (including sending meeting invitations, checking other peoples' availability....)

And as for a calculator....do non-smartphones have the full array of trig and statistical functions available on smartphone apps?

Obviously, there are alternatives for almost everything I use my smartphone for.  Had my trip been longer, a non-smartphone with a local SIM card might have been a partial solution to the bind I was in.   Had my battery failed before I left home, I could have made non-smartphone arrangements to work around my dependence on the gadget.  However, discovering its failure just as I was heading into an airport to depart for a short international trip, created a unique circumstance to appreciate just how much utility I get out of my smartphone without really thinking of it.

• Access to my corporate network (I have an RSA token app on my phone, required to log in)
  
• Note-taking device (e.g. I would have made a few notes about where I left my car at the airport, since I didn't fly out of my usual airport)
  

In addition, I have workarounds for the above two:

  1.  When I got rid of my smartphone, I switched my security token settings to text me the code instead of using an app.

  2.  If I need to make a note of something, then I just type it in a text message draft.

[/quote]

For corporate network access, we used to have the option to get physical RSA token fobs.  I ended up doing a Teams call via my personal laptop with the corporate help desk (needed a way to confirm my identity; showing my face and an ID over a cam was sufficient) to get a temporary code to tide me over until I got a new smartphone.

Looks like we now have a policy that requires employees needing access to the corporate network from outside a domestic office to have smartphones because of our use of the token app, with the company providing smartphones for those employees that need them / don't want to use personal devices for that purpose.

I'd hate to use a non-smartphone 12-key keypad for note-taking.   The soft keyboards on smartphones are bad enough.   I wished I had brought pen and paper with me on my trip, but I've gotten out of the habit of carrying them because my smartphone is almost always there and more convenient for that purpose.

[MikeTheActuary]

I had my iPhone X battery replaced earlier this year by a third-party store at the mall.

I know that battery replacement is still doable, especially with technical assistance.  However, my ideal would be to quickly pop open cover of the phone, and swap batteries, with a minimum of effort.   Not only did I want to do this to prolong the time I could use an otherwise perfectly suitable device, but for a time it's how I got by as a business traveler without being too tethered to chargers, or needing to lug around an external powerbank.    I'd travel with a couple of extra phone batteries, and on longer days when spending extended time away from a charger (e.g. a long day of meetings, followed by an evening/nighttime flight home), I'd just quickly swap batteries when needed.

Fundamentally, I'm a lazy person who likes gadgets, and who is fortunate to have disposable income.   If I were buying ultra-high-end phones, I probably would make use of such battery replacement services.  But one of the reasons I like Google Pixel phones is that the recent models have been at a sweet-spot in terms of functionality and price.   At their price point, I can live with a 2-year upgrade cycle (although I'd be happier with at least a 3-year cycle) if it means I don't have to go through the hassle of finding a reputable service to do battery swaps.

When I was doing my emergency phone-shopping last week, I did briefly consider going back to iPhone partly for family reasons, partly because I'm now using a Macbook as my personal laptop....but the price difference was too great to justify.   I also took a very quick look at other Android phones, and the cost to get the functionality I need, along with the threat of OEM or cell phone provider crapware annoying me....it didn't take long before I put in the order with Google for a new Pixel.

[MikeTheActuary]

This seems appropriate for this thread. Look what came in last night's mail.

I forget how long it's been since we received a physical phone directory.

[kalvado]

And as for a calculator....do non-smartphones have the full array of trig and statistical functions available on smartphone apps?

Just curious, why would you use trig functions on a phone?
Contractor doing quick estimate in the field may be the only thing that comes to mind, and even then there are books and tables which have to be used.

[abefroman329]

Not just smartphones, but the latest and greatest smartphone.

There are already a number of apps I've used often that don't work any longer on my iPhone 6. As I have no possibility of getting a newer phone until a bucketful of money lands in my backyard, I'm relegated to using those apps on my work phone (an iPhone XR) if I want the benefits from them.

There's a wide gulf between the iPhone 7 and the latest and greatest, some of which don't require a bucketful of money.

Indeed, there are iPhones out there that arent exorbitant (by Apple standards, of course). I have an iPhone 7 Plus, 5+ years old, that still runs well and has had no problems with software updates. On paper, anyway, the iPhone SE has the same or better capabilities as the 7 Plus, and is much less than the 13 or 14. If/when I do upgrade, it may be to the SE.

Back in the days of contracts with the mobile phone providers, we'd wait for the newest model to be released and then buy what was now the second-newest model for free or $0.01.

Now we pay, at most, $20-25 per month for a phone that's one or two model years old, and most of that money is covered with incentives from Verizon.

[MikeTheActuary]

And as for a calculator....do non-smartphones have the full array of trig and statistical functions available on smartphone apps?

Just curious, why would you use trig functions on a phone?
Contractor doing quick estimate in the field may be the only thing that comes to mind, and even then there are books and tables which have to be used.

My job these days involves building/maintaining a financial situation of a multinational property-casualty insurer.

Trig functions sometimes come in handy when smell-testing the results of certain modules.   While it's no big deal to pop open a blank Excel workbook and do the math, it's sometimes more convenient to grab a calculator (or smartphone with a calculator app, since I don't carry a discrete calculator anymore).

[formulanone]

And as for a calculator....do non-smartphones have the full array of trig and statistical functions available on smartphone apps?

Just curious, why would you use trig functions on a phone?
Contractor doing quick estimate in the field may be the only thing that comes to mind, and even then there are books and tables which have to be used.

My job these days involves building/maintaining a financial situation of a multinational property-casualty insurer.

Trig functions sometimes come in handy when smell-testing the results of certain modules.   While it's no big deal to pop open a blank Excel workbook and do the math, it's sometimes more convenient to grab a calculator (or smartphone with a calculator app, since I don't carry a discrete calculator anymore).

If you turn your iPhone's calculator to landscape mode, it can perform some trig functions (sin/cos/tan) but no specific statistical functions.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was an Android app which predated that feature on iOS...

[NWI_Irish96]

While we're talking about smartphones, does anybody have any idea why T-mobile hates Nebraska?

[hotdogPi]

While we're talking about smartphones, does anybody have any idea why T-mobile hates Nebraska?

I've looked it up myself. There are various articles available via Google search that can explain it much better than I can. If you don't want a Google search, there's https://blog.solidsignal.com/tutorials/t-mobile-doesnt-have-5g-in-nebraska-heres-why/

Do keep in mind that Nebraska's population is very lopsided toward the eastern part of the state, where there is coverage.

[Bruce]

One of my hangups with getting a new phone is the de-evolution in recent years, fueled by manufacturers blindly following Apple. I absolutely need expandable storage (so that I can have backups saved there to be easily retrieved in case of failure) and a headphone jack (so that I can connect with my car's stereo), but these features have been relegated to budget models that have awful cameras or underpowered chips.

For the lack of a headphone jack, you can use a Bluetooth adapter such as this small one I purchased it so that I could turn a hotel room radio into a music player.

As for the lack of a SD storage card, one thing that I noticed is that if the streaming service (HBO Max, Disney+, Criterion) has a download-for-offline-viewing option, that download will be only to the phone main storage. Storage to removable media just isn't allowed. Again, a good reason why I got a phone with 256GB of internal storage.

Sadly that solution would not be a good fit for my use, since I find Bluetooth to be a battery hog when playing media. And I'd rather have local storage of my music so that I can go hike with my headphones without having to worry about Spotify connectivity.

[SectorZ]

One of my hangups with getting a new phone is the de-evolution in recent years, fueled by manufacturers blindly following Apple. I absolutely need expandable storage (so that I can have backups saved there to be easily retrieved in case of failure) and a headphone jack (so that I can connect with my car's stereo), but these features have been relegated to budget models that have awful cameras or underpowered chips.

For the lack of a headphone jack, you can use a Bluetooth adapter such as this small one I purchased it so that I could turn a hotel room radio into a music player.

As for the lack of a SD storage card, one thing that I noticed is that if the streaming service (HBO Max, Disney+, Criterion) has a download-for-offline-viewing option, that download will be only to the phone main storage. Storage to removable media just isn't allowed. Again, a good reason why I got a phone with 256GB of internal storage.

Sadly that solution would not be a good fit for my use, since I find Bluetooth to be a battery hog when playing media. And I'd rather have local storage of my music so that I can go hike with my headphones without having to worry about Spotify connectivity.

512GB iPhone 11, and you can get the 3mm-to-lightning connector to run wired headphones in the lightning port. I've done both hiking/walking with headphones and even used it in an aux port in a stereo system my father left behind in my garage.

Not for everybody, but it seems like that combo of solutions would be something that could work for your needs.

[kphoger]

Smartphone is a defacto requirement if you are looking for a job and recruiters need to reach you right away.

Why is a smartphone required for that?  At my work, people just call or text someone who's looking for a job.

Looks like we now have a policy that requires employees needing access to the corporate network from outside a domestic office to have smartphones because of our use of the token app, with the company providing smartphones for those employees that need them / don't want to use personal devices for that purpose.

At my job, field techs are required to have a smartphone in order to run the programs required for their job.  Well, I suppose they could theoretically use a laptop and just connect it to Wi-Fi every time or use their non-smartphone as a hotspot or something, but let's get real.  I believe a couple of our regional offices have smartphones for lease to field techs, but not all of them do.

[ZLoth]

As for the lack of a SD storage card, one thing that I noticed is that if the streaming service (HBO Max, Disney+, Criterion) has a download-for-offline-viewing option, that download will be only to the phone main storage. Storage to removable media just isn't allowed. Again, a good reason why I got a phone with 256GB of internal storage.

Sadly that solution would not be a good fit for my use, since I find Bluetooth to be a battery hog when playing media. And I'd rather have local storage of my music so that I can go hike with my headphones without having to worry about Spotify connectivity.

Note that HBO Max, Disney+, and Criterion are all video streaming services that I'm subscribed to. Both Apple Music and Amazon Music have a offline download option, but I don't know if the main phone memory limitation applies. I personally have a Plex Media Server, and I can specify a download location to either main phone memory or a SD card (I have a tablet also).

[Bruce]

One of my hangups with getting a new phone is the de-evolution in recent years, fueled by manufacturers blindly following Apple. I absolutely need expandable storage (so that I can have backups saved there to be easily retrieved in case of failure) and a headphone jack (so that I can connect with my car's stereo), but these features have been relegated to budget models that have awful cameras or underpowered chips.

For the lack of a headphone jack, you can use a Bluetooth adapter such as this small one I purchased it so that I could turn a hotel room radio into a music player.

As for the lack of a SD storage card, one thing that I noticed is that if the streaming service (HBO Max, Disney+, Criterion) has a download-for-offline-viewing option, that download will be only to the phone main storage. Storage to removable media just isn't allowed. Again, a good reason why I got a phone with 256GB of internal storage.

Sadly that solution would not be a good fit for my use, since I find Bluetooth to be a battery hog when playing media. And I'd rather have local storage of my music so that I can go hike with my headphones without having to worry about Spotify connectivity.

512GB iPhone 11, and you can get the 3mm-to-lightning connector to run wired headphones in the lightning port. I've done both hiking/walking with headphones and even used it in an aux port in a stereo system my father left behind in my garage.

Not for everybody, but it seems like that combo of solutions would be something that could work for your needs.

But then I wouldn't be able to charge my device while playing media in the car. A wireless charger would run too hot, so that's also out.

[kalvado]

One of my hangups with getting a new phone is the de-evolution in recent years, fueled by manufacturers blindly following Apple. I absolutely need expandable storage (so that I can have backups saved there to be easily retrieved in case of failure) and a headphone jack (so that I can connect with my car's stereo), but these features have been relegated to budget models that have awful cameras or underpowered chips.

For the lack of a headphone jack, you can use a Bluetooth adapter such as this small one I purchased it so that I could turn a hotel room radio into a music player.

As for the lack of a SD storage card, one thing that I noticed is that if the streaming service (HBO Max, Disney+, Criterion) has a download-for-offline-viewing option, that download will be only to the phone main storage. Storage to removable media just isn't allowed. Again, a good reason why I got a phone with 256GB of internal storage.

Sadly that solution would not be a good fit for my use, since I find Bluetooth to be a battery hog when playing media. And I'd rather have local storage of my music so that I can go hike with my headphones without having to worry about Spotify connectivity.

512GB iPhone 11, and you can get the 3mm-to-lightning connector to run wired headphones in the lightning port. I've done both hiking/walking with headphones and even used it in an aux port in a stereo system my father left behind in my garage.

Not for everybody, but it seems like that combo of solutions would be something that could work for your needs.

But then I wouldn't be able to charge my device while playing media in the car. A wireless charger would run too hot, so that's also out.

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Female-Headphone-Converter-Samsung/dp/B085XQYJFV
https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Charge-Rockstar-Adapter-Charging/dp/B074WDWVX1

[abefroman329]

Until yesterday, there were two ways to enter my apartment building:

(1) Key fob
(2) A special smartphone app called ButterflyMX that can also be used to buzz visitors into the building

Well, the management company got rid of (1) as an option yesterday.  Apparently, if you live here, and you don't own a smartphone, you can just go commit a physical impossibility.

Oh, and if you're wondering if the new system broke already: Why yes, yes it did.

[kalvado]

Until yesterday, there were two ways to enter my apartment building:

(1) Key fob
(2) A special smartphone app called ButterflyMX that can also be used to buzz visitors into the building

Well, the management company got rid of (1) as an option yesterday.  Apparently, if you live here, and you don't own a smartphone, you can just go commit a physical impossibility.

Oh, and if you're wondering if the new system broke already: Why yes, yes it did.

A quote from an e-mail sent today by HR for a new time reporting system:

Effective 5/8, only One Login Protect will be available for use, DUO will be removed. This program requires a smart phone. If you do not have access to a smart phone, you will need to call RF Customer Service at xxx-xxx-xxxx. HR cannot assist on an alternative method of log in.

[mgk920]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.  I'm also wondering how this will mesh with major sports stadia that have gone to all-smartphone based game ticketing.

Mike

[NWI_Irish96]

And now old-style 'flip' phones are becoming popular again with the younger crowd, an older friend of mine told me a few days ago that his Android phone just died and that he'll likely be going with a flip phone because he cannot justify the $1.4K dost of a replacement android phone.  I'm also wondering how this will mesh with major sports stadia that have gone to all-smartphone based game ticketing.

Mike

If you have a home computer with a printer or have use of one, you can usually print out the barcode/QR code if you need to.

[mgk920]

Until yesterday, there were two ways to enter my apartment building:

(1) Key fob
(2) A special smartphone app called ButterflyMX that can also be used to buzz visitors into the building

Well, the management company got rid of (1) as an option yesterday.  Apparently, if you live here, and you don't own a smartphone, you can just go commit a physical impossibility.

Oh, and if you're wondering if the new system broke already: Why yes, yes it did.

At least around here, all of the apartment buildings that I know of still have mechanical keys.

Mike