8 ms·

Ask HN: Apple dropping support for iPhone SE. What to do now?

46 points by subbz 4y ago

Apple is dropping support for the 1st generation of the beloved iPhone SE. Many people liked the form factor of it. What are your plans to do with the last small iPhone? What are the possibilities? Jailbreak or use it as a paper weight?

hedwall 4y ago
I use the iPhone 13 mini, it's marginally bigger than the SE.
- dijit 4y ago
  "Marginally" https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF
  - float4 4y ago
    The 12/13 mini is 9% wider and 6% taller[0], so I don't really think it's unfair to write "marginally bigger". Also, the second picture is a bit misleading because it compares the SE to a container that itself is larger than the mini (as you can see in the third picture). [0] Numbers from Mactracker. SE is 4.87" x 2.31" = 11.2497"^2. Mini is 5.18" x 2.53" = 13.1054"^2. That's a 16.5% increase in surface area
    - dijit 4y ago
      The container is from a 6; here's the numbers from Apple: * iPhone 5: 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 Volume: 3.37491 * iPhone 12/13 Mini: 5.18 x 2.53 x 0.29 Volume: 3.8 * iPhone 6: 5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27 Volume: 3.877632 * iPhone 8: 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 I would argue that 9% is far from marginal. The increase from a 12 mini to an iPhone 6 is very minor; the increase from a 6 to 8 is marginal. From a 5 to a 6 or 12/13 mini is substantial.
      - float4 4y ago
        I think the real argument is that the screen size has dramatically increased, making it way more uncomfortable to use compared to an SE (I had/have a 5, 6s and 13 mini so I've experienced this myself). The physical size difference of the object isn't that substantial IMO, but I understand your point of view.
        omar_alt 4y ago
        Yeah I have to agree here. The first gen SE size was good for me to use for one handed control which was very useful where the device acts as a remote control for a few devices in my home. The screen for the 2nd gen SE is an inch taller and half an inch wider which makes it impractical for me due to RSI. I imagine the screen size for the iphone mini is much bigger than even the new iphone SE so the only choice is to use my iphone se home remote until every app stops working. The fact is the iphone mini wasn't popular despite some demand for a small phone, phones are heavier due to the evolving chip architectures plus the necessity to stretch every millimetre of screen size. Likewise for laptops (Like many I would pay over the odds for a modern Thinkpad that felt just like a x220) but in reverse, laptops get lighter and thinner with worse keyboards whilst phones get bigger and heavier.
    - layer8 4y ago
      It’s almost 20% heavier, which for me makes a huge difference in how it feels. I now use a mini, but every time I pick up an old SE I cry a little inside because it feels so much better.
- rjzzleep 4y ago
  I really dislike the fact that it only has Face ID in the age of masks, but otherwise I too think it's a great device. I'm surprised how quite a few apps in that ecosystem don't support the small formfactor though(i.e. keyboard doesn't close and you can't press next in some apps) even though it's not like in android where there is a thousand formfactors to support.
  - tinus_hn 4y ago
    You can actually weaken Face ID so it works with masks.
    - asplake 4y ago
      You can train it to work with masks. Judging by the prompts it pays increased attention to the eyes
  - asplake 4y ago
    Happy iPhone 13 mini user here: it took a long time but unlocking while masked does now work
  - themadturk 4y ago
    My former iPhone XR and current 13 Pro both work very well with masks.
  - dublin 4y ago
    Masks aren't the concern so much as privacy. (Who the hell has even worn a mask in the past year and a half? I literally haven't worn one since mid 2021 - I don't even know where our masks are...) I'm really opposed to buying a phone with FaceID - give me a fingerprint sensor, please.
    - skyyler 4y ago
      >Who the hell has even worn a mask in the past year and a half? I literally haven't worn one since mid 2021 - I don't even know where our masks are... Around a third of the people I see at the grocery store in Santa Rosa, CA are wearing masks. A lot of people still don't want to spread germs, even though the pandemic is "over"
- nemetroid 4y ago
  It's considerably larger. If you hold the phone in your right hand and want to touch the upper left corner with your thumb, you have to reach about an inch further. I still think the iPhone 13 mini is the best choice, though.
_trackno5 4y ago
I ended up moving to an iPhone 12 mini. As much as I liked the original SE form factor, I really appreciated some things like bigger and better screen and face id. I use mine as an mp3 player connected to some speakers at home. If I were in your position I’d just get an iPhone 13 Mini since it’s the last iPhone with a small form factor. Another option is to look for smaller android devices, but i doubt anything will be as small as the iphone mini
- jstx1 4y ago
  You probably mean 13 mini.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - gigglesupstairs 4y ago
    Why? Both have a same form factor.
    - jstx1 4y ago
      You're right, they do. For some reason I thought that 13 was the first lineup that had a mini.
- hoistbypetard 4y ago
  I've got the 2022 iPhone SE. It's small, still has a fingerprint reader, and works well.
  - 1983054104 4y ago
    I got a refurbished iPhone SE 2nd version (2020) for my wife and she's happy about it so far. It only costs $200 which is nice. It's bigger than the other phones, but at this price I can't complain.
    - 4y ago
donpott 4y ago
I'm in the same situation. My plan is to get a 13 Mini, and hope that it also lasts me enough years for Apple to release another small-factor iPhone.
jstx1 4y ago
To be fair to Apple, the 1st gen SE came out in 2016 with a 2015 chip and a 2012/2013 body, supporting it for this long is very impressive. There's still the later generations SE (I'm very happy with my SE2) or the 13 mini.
- newsclues 4y ago
  Same SoC was used in the HomePod and other later released devices which is why this phone got longer than normal support. I’m still using my SE, and will continue until it dies
- laserlight 4y ago
  Distinguishing feature of the original SE is its form factor. Successors are large phones branded as SE, unfortunately. So, they won't make up for the original one.
- CodeyWhizzBang 4y ago
  I do agree with you that Apple have done well to support this. But also 2016 is only 6 years ago. It's not just Apple thing, but it really doesn't feel sustainable for us to keep write off our hardware every half a decade.
  - skyyler 4y ago
    I do hope to see these numbers get bigger and bigger as the years go on. I feel like expecting 6 years of updates out of the iPhone 4 would have been kind of ridiculous!
    - ryandrake 4y ago
      I can install a modern build of Linux on a 20 year old computer and expect it to work. Let's not pretend 6 years is some kind of miracle.
      - skyyler 4y ago
        This is a discussion of vendor updates, not third party / community support. I'm happy for your old computer running a distro of linux that still supports 32 bit processors, though.
corobo 4y ago
Mine sits in a drawer, battery long dead. I think there's a 5S in there too. I upgraded to the 11 despite wanting a smaller phone at the time, now the SE size is far too small to do anything, haha. I imagine it'll remain there until I move, then it'll be sold or (more likely) recycled.
- lm28469 4y ago
  You could replace the battery and/or sell them
  - corobo 4y ago
    I could possibly just need to charge it depending on if phone batteries survive without charge. Sorry by dead battery I mean it's not been charged in ages. It's not exploded or anything. I imagine I'll only get a couple of quid out of it so it's not worth bothering unless I'm batching it with other crap to sell (e.g. during a house move)
tazjin 4y ago
I've been trying to wean myself off phones completely since the demise of the SE, but life in Moscow without a phone is basically impossible (taxis, deliveries, electric scooters, bikes etc. all become pretty much unavailable). As a compromise I've been using the Palm Phone[0] for a while now (before that the Unihertz Atom, which is quite the chonker, albeit with a small screen). It's the size of a credit card and has terrible battery life, but it can do all the things I need so I've just learned how to deal with it. I don't really have a solution for music on the go yet, as you can't connect normal headphones to modern phones without adapters (and those adapters actually draw a surprising amount of power if they have a DAC!) and Bluetooth is completely useless in large and densely populated cities. Maybe some iPod-like devices are still around ... [0]: https://palm.com/pages/product https://palm.com/pages/product
- PostOnce 4y ago
  "Life is impossible without e-scooter rentals and fast food delivery." -Socrates
  - scrollaway 4y ago
    "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize." So, it's safe to assume GP meant modern life with modern comforts, rather than "my oxygen is only available with an iCloud subscription".
    - PostOnce 4y ago
      I joke in order to suggest someone reconsider what they may have overlooked. I personally have never booked anything on a smartphone, and I'm content and perfectly well connected in 2022 in a first world country. I book things in a browser when I need to book something online, and that is generally on a laptop. It's no less convenient. In fact, I don't even have a mobile data plan, I just use WiFi. I prepay $10 every 6mo for voice calls, everything else can wait til I have WiFi. I'm not a surgeon and taking calls while I'm driving isn't going to help anyone in any way that can't wait half an hour. Phones are overrated, full of ads and casinos, and not as revolutionary as we often suggest. The average person loses more time and money than they gain by having a mobile phone, I bet.
daneel_w 4y ago
I spent $15 on a third party DIY battery replacement kit for my 1st gen iPhone SE about a year ago just before I decommissioned it, to make sure I can keep it around at least for a couple of years more as a spare. At 6 years of age Apple definitely honored their 5 year support plan for the model.
crazygringo 4y ago
A year ago I looked into selling mine on eBay but the process were almost nothing. So now mine is permanently plugged into old smart speakers and always opened to Spotify (locked to Spotify using Guided Access).
badpun 4y ago
Will they not release security patches to the last-supported iOS version though? I think they were doing that in the past.
- luch 4y ago
  You're absolutely right, it's still supported security wise. You just don't get the new versions of iOS
  - badpun 4y ago
    So, the phone will basically continue working as-is, and will still be secure. The newer versions of iOS are a mixed bag anyway. The biggest problem in practice will be the apps eventually dropping support for the old iOS version. It won't happen overnight though.
- bondant 4y ago
  Exactly. iOS 12 was released in 2018 and received its final security update last August. So if Apple does the same with iOS 15 we should get another 3 years of security update.
laserlight 4y ago
I plan to switch to iPhone 13 mini, which unfortunately will be the last small form factor iPhone.
- dijit 4y ago
  You will be shocked to learn (as was I) that the iPhone Mini is the same size as the iPhone 6- which is what I considered to be too large for my tiny mitts. https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF
  - laserlight 4y ago
    Yep. Width-wise iPhone 13 mini is just 3 mm narrower than iPhone 6 [0]. On the positive side, it has sharp edges allowing a better grip than iPhone 6's rounded edges. [0] https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphoneSE,iphone13mini,iphone6 https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/?modelList=iphoneSE,iph...
- captn3m0 4y ago
  I switched when the news about there not being any iPhone 14 mini came out. The perf bump was worth it, even though I miss my SE.
gw99 4y ago
The current 2022 SE is the same size and form factor.
- captn3m0 4y ago
  It's not the same: > The iPhone SE shares the same physical design and dimensions as iPhone 5S > iPhone SE (2022) shares the same physical sizes and dimensions as the iPhone 8 The former is 4", while the latter is 4.7" (display size)
foft 4y ago
Wow, about 3 days after my five year warranty ran out. They don't hang about do they! I was planning to keep it running until the next Apple phone with 3.5mm jack. Are there any 3rd party companies providing security updates to keep such working hardware running?
- sandis 4y ago
  > I was planning to keep it running until the next Apple phone with 3.5mm jack. So forever?
  - foft 4y ago
    Yes it works well. I have no need to ever change it until the hardware fails in say 20 years.
abcd_f 4y ago
Die-hard SE fan, moved to iPhone 12 mini. Really happy. It's a bit larger, but it's a good change as it's actually more comfortable. Ymmv, of course.
- ihatepython 4y ago
  If you are happy with the 12 mini, I think that disqualifies you as a die-hard SE fan.
Apreche 4y ago
Get an iPhone 13 mini while you still can.
ihatepython 4y ago
I still use it as Wifi-Calling support is better than on Android. But my options are limited. I hate the Home-Bar thing where you need to swipe. I don't really like the haptic Home buttom, mechanical feels much nicer. I don't like how the actual screen has rounded corners. I don't like the notch. I don't like the the really long aspect ratios. If I settle for the SE 2nd/3rd generation, I'm not sure how long the support that screen size will last, mostly from 3rd party apps, already I have used apps where things are cut off because of the screen size and there's no way to access the contents.
- eastbound 4y ago
  This is it. We’ve reached peak civilization. Everyonee wants less, but organized differently.
esel2k 4y ago
Got the Iphone SE 2022 refurbished for 240USD - like new. Gives me a few years to find a alternative (hopefully it will be something that lasts and even maybe non Apple).
TwoFerMaggie 4y ago
I've been using one since 2016. The recent two years have been a bit tough because of the degraded battery. Swapped a new battery earlier this year, it was good for a while and now it's slow again and barely last a whole day. The last straw was the music player/spotify stuttering while I'm using Safari. I have made up my mind that I won't buy another iPhone due to their design choices in the past years (mainly, removing headphone jack, but also in general undermining reparability while preaching sustainability). So for me the must-have features are 3.5mm jack and relatively small form factor. I ended up getting a Asus Zenfone 9 (actually saw the post from HN first). Have been using it for about a couple weeks and I don't have too many complaints switching to Android. Only gripe I have was that the screen is still way too big. A bigger screen and very thin bezels are of course visually nice, but it's impossible to reach the upper and lower left corner when I use it with my right hand. Welp, I guess that's the compromise that I have to make in exchange for the features more important to me.
- m_st 4y ago
  Funny while reading your text I wanted to write you about the Zenfone 9 and then you just mention it. I'm a heavy Apple / iPhone user so probably won't switch. But the specs and especially the backpack mount triggered my interest. How happy are you with it? Especially the camera?
  - TwoFerMaggie 4y ago
    I'd say pretty happy. Do I think it's the perfect phone? Probably not. But I'm pretty sure it's the closest one I can get in 2022 for my desired features. Regarding the camera, I have to say that I don't really know. Moving up from 1st gen SE camera, I don't really have an reasonable point of reference. All I can say is that, it's definitely better than the SE (duh), but not like mind-blowingly better. Well I'm not really into shooting photos so ymmv.
- avn2109 4y ago
  >> "... and relatively small form factor..." Small phones get a ton of love on HN, it's a perennial winner. But as an anecdotal counterpoint, I am six foot seven with hands (and thumbs) to match, and never met a phone which seems even remotely too large. Even the most phablet-themed Androids with a reputation for cartoonishly giant screens strike me as pretty reasonable. The trend towards ever-larger phones is great IMHO, I consider it compensation for a lifetime of airplane seats and whacking head on doorways etc.
ceceron 4y ago
I've switched to SE 2022 and it's "okayish". Much worse experience but good enough to get by and is reasonably priced. The mini model is another option, but is worse (no fingerprint, no button, notch...) and simply too expensive. The only plus of the mini model is the size, which is still worse than the original SE. To be honest, my favourite model was 4s ;)
- frizlab 4y ago
  I personally love the mini. Its size is perfect. For me Face ID is much better than Touch ID and I don’t mind the notch. Bigger downside for me is battery life but I think it compares with the SE.
  - skyyler 4y ago
    If you went with the 12 mini like I did, the 13 mini supposedly offers a significant battery improvement.
ppetty 4y ago
If it still starts up what prevents its use as a mobile phone? If it’s dead and you’re looking to replace the iPhone mini 12 or 13 (refurbished or new 13) are great options.
- dijit 4y ago
  Eventually your banking applications will fail to support the old (potentially insecure) version of iOS.
  - ppetty 4y ago
    That makes sense, to an extent. But tossing it in a drawer, from others’ posts, seems extreme. Calling, texting and many other functions may work well for a while. Bank apps may not get updated leaving web access as an alternative though maybe convenient.
    - dijit 4y ago
      Can't speak for everywhere but in Sweden there is the rise of "bankID" which is a type of authentication App for your phone. I don't think they even offer the physical card+cardreader combo anymore. That App is needed for access to Internet Banking via a web-browser as it sends a challenge to the App.
captn3m0 4y ago
It is still unclear if support is being dropped. Apple promised updates to iOS14 after 15 was released, but went back on that promise. iOS 15.7 fixed a bunch of security issues and was released along with iOS 16. Apple has been silently maintaining iOS12, releasing 12.5.6 in August 2022 for eg: > Available for: iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th generation). None of these devices are expected to be in support, as per Apple's policies. However, Apple is still pushing updates to these, and I'm hoping something similar would happen for iOS15. I just wish Apple would actually write down its supported device+OS combinations somewhere, instead of us all having to guess (https://endoflife.date/iphone https://endoflife.date/iphone)
- taylodl 4y ago
  I'm still regularly using an iPad Mini 3 (released in 2014) that's limited to iOS 12. I got the iOS 12 updates that you mentioned. I look at it as it's been eight years and I'm still getting security updates - that's awesome!
- red369 4y ago
  This comment made me rethink my frequent praising of Apple for their long support for the really old devices: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32672461 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32672461
GiorgioG 4y ago
iPhone 13 mini. My son wore an SE to relay his blood sugar (type 1 diabetic) readings to us through his Dexcom. The SE finally crapped out at hockey practice while he had a low BG so we decided to buy a 13 mini. It doesn’t feel much bigger than the SE, yet the screen is larger.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
layer8 4y ago
Apple still issues security updates for older iOS versions from time to time for devices that do not support the current iOS version. You could therefore continue using the SE until you get a hard requirement for some app that only runs on iOS 16+, or need some newer hardware function. Personally I switched to the iPhone mini, which, while not as nice a form factor as the SE, is still okay-ish for one-handed use. I’m hoping that Apple will again release a new small phone a few years down the line before the mini becomes unusable. They could refresh the iPhone mini in a similar cadence as they do for the iPad mini.
- brundolf 4y ago
  Two cents: I bought a Mini and returned it because it wasn't small enough to use with one hand. It's an awkward size that's small-but-not-small-enough. My advice is to get a PopSocket; they can make almost any size of phone usable with one hand. At this point it seems like that's the best we're going to get
mritun 4y ago
> What are the possibilities? Jailbreak or use it as a paper weight? Assuming you have a working phone, why would you not just keep using it? I have a bunch of old Nokia phones that still work. They’ve not received an update in years and probably never will, but as long as they support carriers frequently, they’ll work. It’s a phone, not an app… and even apps don’t need to be constantly updated.
factorialboy 4y ago
I love compact form factor so i am holding on to my iphone 13 mini. It is on discount now on several retailers. Since apple is dumping the mini, ill switch to an android compact — the zenfone asus looks good right now.

doctor_eval 4y ago

I know this was a joke, but... The walled city of Athens when Socrates lived measured about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) in diameter.¹ Moscow is among the world's largest cities; the city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers.² Access to personal transport is an essential part of modern daily life, without which it is difficult to work, live, and even, sometimes, eat. ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Athens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Athens ² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow

PostOnce 4y ago
And yet enormous Moscow somehow functioned before we invented iPhones less than 20 years ago...
- mikrl 4y ago
  Akchually the Russian economy was in the toilet until the mid 00s which is also when the iPhone was invented. I’m kidding of course, but those systems that kept the city running are probably obsolete and forgotten about in the 2020s.
- fragmede 4y ago
  At least be honest about having a car to get around
- freefaler 4y ago
  It did function "somehow", but not as well as it functions now. Hailing a cab (or an unlicensed one) when it's cold or rains was a struggle. No food delivery. No bus notifications and maps routing. Heck, it worked somehow before the Metro was dug by Stalin in the 1930s, but not as well as now. So you're correct if you don't mind the quality of life.
  - dublin 4y ago
    I really don't get the food delivery thing. It's expensive as hell, slow, and mostly delivers a bunch of highly processed food you'd be better off not eating anyway, unless you're really starving. I've got far better things to do with my money than pay too much for bad, cold food. Even during the entire 2020 Covid lockdown craziness (which was quite properly never really taken seriously here in Texas - even Austin!), we ordered food delivered exactly twice. All other food was either bought at the grocery store and cooked at home, or from restaurants (I actually miss being able to walk into any restaurant that was open and be instantly seated and served!)
    - tazjin 4y ago
      > It's expensive as hell, slow, and mostly delivers a bunch of highly processed food you'd be better off not eating anyway This depends on where you are! In Moscow, food delivery can be a 25 minute affair delivering you something from your favourite (vetted by you!) restaurant. In Stockholm for example (at least when I used to live there), the number of restaurants that sign up for delivery is very low and you mostly just get shitty "Swedish pizza" (curry banana shrimp pizza, anyone?) London is somewhere in between. Maybe it's just a function of city size, something something economies of scale.

nicolaslem 4y ago

> those adapters actually draw a surprising amount of power if they have a DAC! Do they? Intuitively I would imagine that they do not consume much more than the same DAC inside the phone. I use such adapters a lot and never really noticed anything out of the ordinary related to battery life nor the part with the DAC getting warmer. On the other hand, the sound quality of these adapters is surprisingly good, in the same league as dedicated audio interfaces[0]. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0P8-TUDJ4Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0P8-TUDJ4Q

tazjin 4y ago
Maybe it's more noticeable because this phone has a really tiny battery, but yeah. I actually went through a few adapters to find one that worked, because some of them (e.g. the one Apple makes) actually only wire up a DAC inside the phone to the physical 3.5mm connector. The Palm phone doesn't have a DAC though ... Maybe the one I have (by a company called Baseus, which I've never heard of before) just sucks and it shouldn't be drawing as much power as it does. Thanks for the link to that video, might be some good alternative in there!
- Kirby64 4y ago
  The 3.5mm adapters that Apple makes absolutely include a DAC themselves. Not sure where you get the idea that they don't. Both the USB-C and the Lightning versions are all digital on the port side. There are very few USB-C analog -> 3.5mm adapters, strictly because there is so many compatible issues (i.e., you need to support the alternate mode, AND you need to map the pins correctly).
  - tazjin 4y ago
    I got an official Apple one and couldn't get it to work with any of my devices (I don't have any other Apple devices, so maybe they do have a DAC but it only works with their devices?). It exhibited the same behaviour as the DAC-less adapters (i.e. just, well, nothing).
  - danieleggert 4y ago
    There’s a real DAC inside the Apple one: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Apple+Lightning+to+Headphone+Jack+Adapter+Teardown/67562 https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Apple+Lightning+to+Headphone...

zzzbra 4y ago

> but life in Moscow without a phone is basically impossible (taxis, deliveries, electric scooters, bikes etc. all become pretty much unavailable). am I the only one who finds this horrifying

greenie_beans 4y ago
same. i'm really feeling it now after adopting a dumb phone. recently had an idea: what if we installed small, public computers on city blocks, much in the same way that we did phone booths
- tazjin 4y ago
  You think the fraud tech on ATMs is bad already? Wait until you see what people would do with those computers :)
  - greenie_beans 4y ago
    i'm sure, but no different than what people already do with private computers
danwee 4y ago
Not only that. Many banks and government services nowadays require a phone (and/or phone number) as well. Their excuse? MFA. So idiotic. I can understand that they want to improve auth for the vast majority of their customers, but don't make it mandatory FFS!
- ThunderSizzle 4y ago
  Too many people, even here, praise MFA when they reveal how weak their passwords are. I've never had an auto generated password get broken into. Password databases should've been the solution everyone pushed, not 2FA. Also, it's really an attempt for these services to cut down on fakes and bots. Its easy to make new emails, but hard to get new numbers that aren't already black/brown listed.
  - Gud 4y ago
    What do you think is wrong with 2FA?
    - ThunderSizzle 4y ago
      As a user, it's not fast, user-friendly, or fail-tolerant. And all three of those vary heavily depending on the company implementing the 2FA. A username/email and password is pretty simple and straight-forward. If I lose a password, I can reset it via my email. Therefore, the only account that should even consider MFA should be my email, since it's a gateway to everything else. But that also means my email shouldn't have to be connected to 20 other services.
    - tkiolp4 4y ago
      2FA is fine. Being forced to use a mobile phone for 2FA is wrong.
dale_glass 4y ago
It's just the progression of things. Things first shifted online. Some are now going with apps because apps are a better fit. Eg, if you're calling a taxi, what are you going to call one from, if not a phone? A phone is the best tool for the job because if they come and can't find you, then can call you back.
tazjin 4y ago
No, but the thing is that for the majority of people nowadays this is normal and unsurprising. If you don't have a phone, a lot of things become unavailable and 99% of people (maybe even more!) don't consider that strange. You can sometimes work around parts of it. For example there are still taxi dispatchers you can call (but with what? Maybe if you have at least a dumb phone ...) but drivers might be more hesitant to accept those jobs (less precise pickup locations, more ambiguity about destinations etc.). You can rent some of the public bikes using a public transport card, but none of the scooters - and those are much more available. In highly modernised places there is simply a baseline assumption about the tech that everyone has available to them ...
- gigglesupstairs 4y ago
  People find it strange when I tell them I leave my phone at home most of the times when I go for walking, so I can relate. 99% have absolutely normalised phones in their lives as an essential commodity like refrigerator or a house key.
pdimitar 4y ago
I don't find it horrifying at all, I remember the times when I had to sit in phone calls to organize a plethora of small things I shouldn't have wasted time on the phone for. To me the modern age where you open an app and do things there has been infinitely better. Ordering pizza, calling a taxi, paying for delivered groceries, paying bills etc. -- all through phone. The fact that there are entities out there that want to steal every drop of your attention when you are on your phone does not nullify the usefulness of modern technology. Nor does it guarantee them success. I'd say that many people happily use technology to improve their lives and dodge all the other crap. For that group the modern age is absolutely great.