[arp242]

Not just a mobile phone, but a phone with either iOS or Android. Plus, a phone with an account with either of two parent companies (avoiding that on Android is possible, but far from trivial). Any "alternative" system is basically a non-starter as all these apps are typically only developed for these platforms, and it's become very hard for any new player to enter the market.

While the duopoly is better than the monopoly of Microsoft Windows back in the day, it's also worse as the reliance on software is much greater, and its become harder (if not impossible) to write your own implementation for $alternative_system.

[lgeek]

It doesn't need to be a phone running iOS and Android, you just need an email client and a PDF viewer for UK train etickets

[intelVISA]

If that's the case they should be issued free (as in tea in the harbor) open source devices free from Apple/Google spyware for this purpose.

[scrollaway]

What on earth is your logic there? “You have the option to send a PDF, thus I deserve a free phone of my particular choice”?

[dTal]

I think the logic is you still need some sort of computer to download and display your ticket, whereas with a paper ticket you don't need any external equipment. This discriminates against those too disadvantaged to own such a thing. You can argue that if the government is going to make possession of a device a requirement to access government functions, they ought to provide it.

[_dain_]

you can use a laptop