Surely you don't carry your phone everywhere?

[SEmyarse]

Every time there's a discussion about civil liberties, for instance at the moment with ID cards, people always say, why are you worried they can track you by your phone anyway. But that implies that people are always carrying their phones.

I have a phone, I have to for work, and it's very useful outside work as well. I sometimes use it for navigation, and on certain instances I might take it with me if there's a chance I'll need to liaise with someone while out. Super helpful technology.

But surely people aren't taking it to the shops, or on the school run, or out for a walk in the countryside?

My Volvo work with my phone or even just my watch as a key.

They may not have been new but they weren’t as ubiquitous as today. About 2/3 of UK mobile phones were smart in 2015 vs 95% today.

The big growth was around 2010-13 with the iPhone 4. I had a Blackberry before 2010 but my iPhone 4 was my first modern smartphone.

We do. Somebody called us on it yesterday. It has a spam blocker so zero unwanted calls.

It’s actually a VoIP phone plugged into the FTTP internet router.

I always have my phone nearby, and pretty much take it everywhere with me. I’m not paranoid something will happen but too many times something has and it has been a godsend. I don’t think it’s sad, I’m not checking it every 2 seconds, lol.

I’ve been this was about 30yrs now, so it’s nothing new. I worked for one of the big networks for 30yrs and I’m chuffed to bits others are the same… it’s bought me a house, lol

Why would she go backwards when tech has improved so much??? She can access help by voice commands, have auto alerts etc. Why would you try to drag her back to an old style phone with no helpful features?

And this obsession about costs. It doesn’t cost a lot to have a decent phone. Especially on a £5 a month sim only deal or similar.

My phone has to come to the shops being as every single flipping one of them now seems to require an app or loyalty card, unless you want to pay higher prices 🙄

I also use it as my pedometer, my sat nav, and my payment device.

I hate the feeling of being tied to it though.

Which poster are you talking about? Tortielady wrote "My 84 year old Mum always has her iPhone close by, which I'm pleased about, given all her health issues." When I questioned that you wrote "Maybe the poster’s mother has considered all of those things and decided that an iPhone meets her needs?" To which Tortielady replied "I prefer my Samsung with its nice big screen, but Mum's iPhone seems to work for her. She's physically disabled, but mentally as sharp as tacks, so I wouldn't presume to tell her what she needs!"

As far as I can tell no poster has said that a smartphone is the best option for her mother. I'm not going to check all of the posts after page 20.

When I wrote "I just don't like it when someone tells everybody that smartphones are the best option for everybody when that's clearly not true" I wasn't referring to any particular poster. I was referring to any of the posters who state that smartphones are the best option for everybody.

And it was a good point. I don't see a lot of use of cards on smartphones where I am. I see more use of cash than cards on smartphones.

I didn't say that it costs hundreds of pounds to charge a smartphone. The average cost of a smartphone is hundreds of pounds, although I realise that most people won't be paying that all in one go.

Most people take their phone everywhere, even my mum in her 80s who is resistant to technological change.

If you want voice commands to access help you're better off with a smart speaker.

🤣🤣

Do you have insurance for your smartphone? I was listening to LBC last night and someone was saying he had his smartphone stolen. He said that he had his bank account emptied and he couldn't even get food to eat. These stolen smartphones get shipped to China where they have ways of getting around passwords or other forms of security.

This man said he doesn't take his smartphone out of his pocket now, and the presenter said he doesn't either. The next caller said that he had had his smartphone stolen twice.

It makes me even more glad that I don't have a smartphone. I can take my mobile phone out, nobody is going to steal it. If there's a burglary in your home the smartphones are one of the first things they go for.

So you have to take into account the added cost of insurance or loss. When it comes to safety you have to take into account that you are a target for thieves and burglars. And your elderly parents are even more of a target.

My phone is insured through my bank account.

OP most people have been routinely carrying a mobile for far longer than 10 years, it’s unusual not to.

I can see why you wouldn’t want to carry a work phone but then most people with a work phone also have their personal phone.

Studies show people are becoming comfortable to pay on their phone (eg apple pay), so that’s newer.

Most people have been locking their doors since before you were born!

I've always taken my phone out with me everywhere I go. It would defeat the point of having one if you didn't.

I think it's a bit generational though. We've only just recently managed to persuade my 70yo widowed mum that she should take hers out with her whenever she leaves the house. Otherwise, what's the point of having it? We sold it to her from a personal safety standpoint.

I don't take my phone to work, and I maybe take it with me 50% of the rest of the time. And it's switched off a lot more than that. But I know that's really not usual, and it's hard to believe that you think it is. All my generation grew up with smartphones and have it with them everywhere all the time, as do most other people.

Taking your mobile phone with you? What a strange concept! 🤔. Mine is always with me....very handy in cases of emergency. 😐

Yes, our phones are covered by a perk of my DH’s work, as is all other tech in the house, we don’t even have to pay. If they are ever stolen (unlikely where we live in a very low crime area, kids phones lost at the park are usually returned etc) we will simply get a new, free one.
Insurance costs very little, and many people will be covered by their home insurance or bank accounts with insurance anyway.
Do you believe everything you read or hear?

Yes, I never leave house without my phone. I did last week accidentally to go to a local shop but it was literally the only time in 5 years. When I’m at home my phone is usually somewhere next to me e.g I take my phone to the bathroom when I’m taking shower. I have disabled child and my elderly mum lives alone so yes, Im always available.

You are definitely the outlier here!

I think you are a odd one out OP, sorry,
However your post is deliberately confusing. Of course people don’t have work mobile with them everywhere (unless it’s stipulated by their job description) people have their personal phones on them everywhere. And yes, most people did this 10 and 15 years ago . People do it because they want to be available for someone (friends, partners) or have to be available for someone ( kids, elderly parents)

You do sound as ND person, so maybe why you see things so differently.

The poster seemed to think ‘cash or card’ precluded phone payment, unless I’m reading it incorrectly. That’s what I’m as responding to. Whether people choose to or not, the question implicitly includes phones.

LBC? So a London radio station. The phone theft in London is much higher than the rest of the country. 40% of phones stolen in the U.K. are stolen in London. It’s not a fair representation.

LBC is nationwide now. If I were mean I'd say Do keep up.