[tumult]

More and more things require having a smartphone. Scan this QR code to install the app to cross the border. Install the app to use the street parking in this city. Install the app to board the bus. Install the app to get your filing status with department xyz. I admire your spirit of rebellion, but avoiding using a smartphone in daily life in most places will result in a lifestyle contorted specifically to avoid using a smartphone, and will cut you off from activities that were previously doable without smartphones 20 years ago.

[everdrive]

This is not meant as an argument or a counterpoint, I'm just not familiar with some of your examples. Would you be able to elaborate?

>Scan this QR code to install the app to cross the border.

Would this be a national border? I haven't traveled internationally for a while, but this would be quite troubling.

>Install the app to board the bus.

Is there no option to pay without an app?

>Install the app to get your filing status with department xyz.

Surely the government also allows you to just call and get an update?

[TFNA]

> Surely the government also allows you to just call and get an update?

Government offices in many developed countries don't realistically answer the phone any more. You either use the official app on your phone, or you log into the official website using strong authentication that requires a phone. A luddite workaround might be a registered letter by post, but you might wait a long time for an answer.

[brewdad]

I was required to install an app in order to enter and leave the Philippines. To my knowledge there was no other way to get the required approvals.

My local system is completely cashless. You can pay by phone, credit card tap or with a reloadable transit card. To my knowledge, the only way to reload the card is to use their app or travel to a handful of authorized agents to have them reload your card.

I can call my government office and wait on hold for an hour, ultimately probably needing to schedule an appointment in person to handle my issue or I can install an app and have my issue resolved in a few minutes. Which option do you think most people choose?

[everdrive]

>I was required to install an app in order to enter and leave the Philippines

That's good to know. Me and my family will definitely never be visting the philippines. My phone doesn't have mobile data enabled at the provider level. Would have been an award search for Wifi.

>My local system is completely cashless. You can pay by phone,

It's baffling to me that anyone would want to link payment to their phone. This is one of the least intelligent self-owns of the last decade.

>or I can install an app and have my issue resolved in a few minutes. Which option do you think most people choose?

I take your point but I'd say that most people don't put much value on their freedom if they'd trade it for a couple of hours of convenience.

[tumult]

> Would this be a national border? I haven't traveled internationally for a while, but this would be quite troubling.

Yes.

> Is there no option to pay without an app?

No option.

> Surely the government also allows you to just call and get an update?

The time I saw this, the non-app option was waiting in line for several hours.

[everdrive]

Could you expand on this? What happens at the national border? What happens if your phone just won't do a QR code? I'm not arguing with you or disagreeing with, I'm just curious what the process is.