[MrDrMcCoy]

A smartphone is a tool that is all but required for modern life, it gets it's hooks into every detail of your life, and you have very little choice in providers, features, and functions. It makes a lot less sense to not care like this.

[gib444]

What can't you do without a smartphone in the UK or wherever you live? Specifically a smartphone, not just a phone number for SMS + calls.

[macintux]

Not the person to whom you're responding, but for me, some of the heavy hitters:

- Real-time weather alerts (I spend a lot of time in a naked Jeep in the summer, it's helpful to know when rain is imminent)

- Work-related authentication

- Audiobooks

- High quality, always available camera with quick editing and instant sharing capabilities

- GPS tracking when I'm exploring

- Find restaurants, museums, hotels when I'm traveling

- Pay for nearly anything (credit cards are useful but more time-consuming, and pulling them out frequently is a minor friction point that I'm grateful to leave behind)

[bean469]

Although I do agree with some that you listed, I think that many do have alternatives:

- Audiobooks can be listened on other devices besides smartphones

- A dedicated camera is a very good option for taking high-quality photos fast, but I do agree that instant sharing is not a possibility

- GPS tracking is available on many watches, even non-Smartwatches like the ones Garmin designs

- You can pay with a credit / debit card via NFC - just as fast as with a smartphone

- You can find restaurants and other places through maps, tourism centers, etc. Or there's a option for researching where to go before heading out

[shepherdjerred]

none of these are required, aside from the work example.

You just find a phone useful

Required would be “I can’t participate in society without a phone”, eg not being able to get healthcare or pay for things w/o a phone

[monegator]

Banks. Always banks. It is almost impossible to have a physical access token in my country.

[gib444]

That's curious. What do you mean by /almost/ impossible? Slightly more inconvenient / would have to visit a branch one time?

In the UK card readers are still widely supported by traditional banks. As is SMS for one time codes. People who think fintech banks are the only ones that exist might have a warped view on reality of course

[monegator]

i mean that i don't know of a single bank in my country that still offers physical tokens. I'm sure there is at least one and you have to go through hoops. I left my previous main bank after they retired the tokens and mandated the app use, which required biometrics.

Current main bank is not so bad, but i'm not sure if the app works without google play integrity (at least it doesn't mind developer mode / unlocked bootloader)

[gib444]

That sucks. The UK gets a lot of stick for being 'stuck in the past' sometimes but when I hear things like that, I'm totally OK with it. We can even do proxy banking at a Post Office ! [0]

At least we don't currently require a US tech company (Apple | Google) to give their blessing to people to have a bank account :-)

Though I'm sure your country's set up will be ours before too long...

[0] https://www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking