Why do people use their mobile phones on speaker?

[KnackeredBack]

My Dparents (late 80s) have to have all phonecalls on speakerphone, but that's so that my DM (dementia) can hear what's going on, or my DDad gets the 3rd degree as to what's being said. This I understand.

Why though, do loads of people have phone calls (not videocalls) on speakerphone instead of at the handset? In the last 2 weeks, I've been close to people almost shouting at their phone, all the way round the supermarket, sitting at a cafe, and on a train, with their entire conversations broadcasted?

Am I missing something?

I can't hear very well and when it's by my ear it seems to beep or open other windows as it is sensitive plus I hate holding it up to my ear for ages

I never talk in a public place though

Some of the responses here are unfair on those of us who are hearing impaired and, for various reasons, need to use their phone on speaker - are we to limit our calls to occasions when we are either at home or confined to our cars? Life is hard enough for those of us who are aurally impaired without being 'othered' even further by being made to feel like social pariahs just for using our phones when convenient to us - just as other people do.

I agree that some people do it because they find it hard to hear. I don't know - do the EarPods not work sufficiently in this case?

The problem is that every part of their, often quite private conversation, is being heard by others. Whatever about the person taking the call, the person on the other end has no idea who is listening to them and where.

I was going around the supermarket recently, up & down the same aisles as an older lady. She blithely discussed various family dilemmas and rows, financial matters & health conditions. It was so odd. Ireland being Ireland, there's every chance she'd be known or some of the people she'd be talking about would.

I would never do it in a public place, but at home I always do. I'm paranoid about EMF from phones and don't want to press it against my head!

Used to hate this then my phone broke and I got used to it and now I am the twat.

And it is easier to hear. People using phones in restaurants should be shit but who cares if it’s the supermarket or similar. You only get a snatch of passing chat.

my problem is can't hear caller otherwise. I feel like a git but the earpiece doesn't work and it'd cost too much to fix.
Soz everyone

Nope. It's really annoying around other people, regardless of where.

Headphones?

I do at home on the rare occasion I make or receive a phone call as find it more comfortable than holding a phone to my ear and also because then I can look at the internet if I am finding the call a bit boring. I would never do it in public though.

I’m always struck by how kind numbing the conversations are.
Plus it’s inconsiderate to the other person on the end of the line - I’d be mortified if my voice was being blasted out to random people. I think phone conversations should be private.

Same! Don't in public, but at home have it on speaker. I never used to, but I didn't know too much about EMFs about 3/4 years ago.

I would never do it in a confined public space but do if walking or at home because I always manage to press the mute button with my face!

For gods sake - use headphones / pods!

My phone is broken and I’ve no hope of affording a new one. I can’t hear through the earpiece, it’s like being underwater.

its weird. I never even answer my phone when I am in a public place like on a train. I am not the emergency services so most calls can wait.

Phew! In that case chat away!

What's even worse is the people who do it never announce to the caller that they're on speaker, so they go on to pour their heart out or share really intimate things without realising a whole cafe full of people can hear them. So rude to the people who are ringing them.

There's a wee converter cable you can get to use wired earphones on a newer Iphone on the charging port, very handy

It is sooo annoying. My parents do it, Christmas Day all sitting round and my mum takes a call and puts it on speaker. Then the whole room has to be quiet. They answer my calls like that too and then you don’t know who is listening to you speak. Finally if I call them when I am in the car and they answer on speaker it gives so much feedback the call quality is awful. Despite repeated requests not to do this they continue 😡
Actually would love to someday think about a really embarrassing story and tell them on the phone when I know they are with someone and have put me on speaker despite my requests not to be on speaker!

Whenever I am on public transport I tell the offending person, in as polite a manner as I can muster, that my fellow passengers and I have paid to travel, not to hear their tiktok/YouTube/phone call nonsense.

I think that if you can afford a ~£1,000 phone, you can afford a pair of ~£25 earphones (like I use and they're perfect).

It's infuriating. I get unreasonably angry about it😂