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AIBU?

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Original poster

Anyone else fed up of number of apps?

37 replies

BradfordGirl · 10/01/2023 14:06

I think I am going to have to upgrade my phone as it is struggling with memory. The main issue is that everyone expects you to use apps. I have three different parking apps on my phone alone as car parks where I live all use different providers.
I am totally fed up of the sheer number of apps.

OP posts:
Teentrauma · 10/01/2023 14:30

YANBU. My phone's ok for now but DH's phone definitely can't cope. We had an issue getting into a concert recently as you were expected to show your own ticket on your own phone via an app that wouldn't load for him. Got round it but caused stress!! Our insurance company also expects you to handle claims via their (useless) app which has caused much swearing!

JamSandle · 10/01/2023 14:31

Yanbu. Does my nut in!

MangoBiscuit · 10/01/2023 14:36

If it's a good app, (effective, thoughtful, decent UX) then I don't mind. If it's poorly designed, or poorly coded, then I won't keep it on my phone. If a company wants me to use their app, they have to make it work properly.

My old car insurance company kept pushing for you to do everything through their app, but it's rubbish, so I had to phone.
"Have you tried using the app?"
"Yes, and it's not an experience I care to repeat."

I have a clear out every month or so, and my android is set to flag apps I haven't used for a while.

mamabear715 · 10/01/2023 14:38

I am a dinosaur who won't have a smartphone for this & many other reasons, but society is now dictating that we MUST, or that's how it feels to me.. those of us who refuse tend to miss out on the best deals etc, & even GP's surgeries send texts that I have to then forward to my daughter's smartphone to make sense of.. it's all so time consuming & irritating.

ClubhouseGift · 10/01/2023 14:41

YABU. Sounds like your phone is too old and not fit for purpose.

ShrillBill · 10/01/2023 14:44

YANBU, and its difficult to tell if a smart phone will cope with the apps you need before you buy it.

ClubhouseGift · 10/01/2023 14:46

mamabear715 · 10/01/2023 14:38

I am a dinosaur who won't have a smartphone for this & many other reasons, but society is now dictating that we MUST, or that's how it feels to me.. those of us who refuse tend to miss out on the best deals etc, & even GP's surgeries send texts that I have to then forward to my daughter's smartphone to make sense of.. it's all so time consuming & irritating.

You don’t have to have a smartphone, but you do have to accept the consequences of that.

Bywayofanupdate · 10/01/2023 14:48

I've just had to get a new phone so I could download the latest school app. We have 4 school apps now!! Before I had to delete and instsall apps as and when required

SnowAndFrostOutside · 10/01/2023 14:54

I agree. The worse is definitely tickets via phone apps like @Teentrauma mentioned. O2 arena does this. The ticket is not a static QR code where you can screenshot or add to apple wallet. It's an app which you need to load at the door to show at the door. (I think there's a phyical ticket but I don't know how you get issued one if buying ticket online).

Most online login now also use multifactor authentication via apps. If only they all use a time series code so you can use an authenticator from Google or Microsoft. But no, you need their apps to do it. Both banks I use push their code via their apps, so to login online to do my banking I have to have the apps installed. HSBC app doesn't do everything you can do on the browser, so I still have to login on my laptop even with the app.

I have so many parking apps it's ridiculous. Some don't take card payments at the machine, so the app is the only way because I don't go out with £££ in change. Then there's public transport app like TFL go.

SnowAndFrostOutside · 10/01/2023 14:55

@Bywayofanupdate oh yes the school apps! I got 3 for two children.

RebulahConundrum · 10/01/2023 14:57

Yes! And constantly having to log into things for no reason. BBC news keeps pestering me to set up an account. What for? Then I forget my password and have to reset it and blah blah blah. Drives me nuts.

WhatWouldHopperDo · 10/01/2023 15:00

I agree and it is a terrible situation in terms of inclusion and accessibility. My 80 year old Mum had to explain to someone recently why she couldn't scan a QR code - they were incredulous that she had a phone that didn't have a camera and were quite put out that they had to find her a phone number to call for customer service.

BucketofTeaMassiveCake · 10/01/2023 15:02

YANBU. I probably use less than half a dozen of the apps which are available on the iphone, the rest being surplus to requirements.

phoenixrosehere · 10/01/2023 15:06

Meh.

Not difficult to organise the apps into folders and delete what you don’t use or need.

All my apps are on two pages and majority in folders. The school stuff for my children are in their own folder, transport in another, shopping, etc.

I don’t even use half of my phone storage. 35% of it.

ClubhouseGift · 10/01/2023 15:06

WhatWouldHopperDo · 10/01/2023 15:00

I agree and it is a terrible situation in terms of inclusion and accessibility. My 80 year old Mum had to explain to someone recently why she couldn't scan a QR code - they were incredulous that she had a phone that didn't have a camera and were quite put out that they had to find her a phone number to call for customer service.

Your 80 year old mum has had 15 years to get used to a smartphone.

She chose not to, so now she’s in a difficult situation and struggling as she’s getting older, but that’s a situation of her own making.

bigbluebus · 10/01/2023 15:08

It's definitely excluding people in the name of progress. Not everyone can afford to upgrade their phones to accommodate all these apps. And not everyone can use a mobile phone. My 95 year old MIL, who is extremely independent but severely visually impaired, cannot use a smart phone. She can, and does, use a desk top computer as she can increase the font size enough but when Internet shopping requires 2 factor authentication that causes no end of problems. She does her supermarket shopping online and is able to get a code sent to her landline, but by the time she's got to the phone for the code and got back to the computer to put it in, the screen has invariably timed out.

bellabasset · 10/01/2023 15:14

Yes, had to get a new phone and then they update the damn thing and you can't find things. My dsis sent me ecards and that keeps coming up asking me to use the app. BG apps are no longer functioning with their new accounts system from which they have removed their smart meter information and costings.

My old boiler started clunking once it was switched on so I had it replaced and ithe new one works off the hive app. It's very wet and windy here in Cornwall and my Internet goes off and also the trip switch on the boiler can go off. We have overhead cables here. However now I know what to check the information remains on the hive. I've set it to come on for 3 hours daily at this time of the year to keep the house dry. Currently 18° without heating at all today.

bellabasset · 10/01/2023 15:16

@bigbluebus Could you get your MIL an extension lead so she can plug her landline into a socket near her computer

lieselotte · 10/01/2023 15:22

YANBU I had to upgrade my perfect decent phone because of this. Although it's not really the fact that there are lots of apps, it's the fact that a lot of phones are sold with apps you can't delete to make more room for the apps you do want.

That said, I think a lot of apps are there for the sake of it. Car parks should always permit payment by card or cash as well as by app. Ordering by app is a pain, although I can see the advantage of paying for a meal by app and not having to hang around for ages waiting for the waiting staff to bring the card machine over. Some running races allow you to track your friends by their running number to see how they are doing (eg on a marathon) but some insist you use the app and don't have a website version. Why would I want to download an app for one event?

As for an 80 year old having had 15 years to get used to a smartphone, they weren't needed until very recently, you could manage without. And QR codes are just a gimmick, why can't I just type the website name in? To be fair, most have the website address alongside, but I did go to an event where they wanted me to register via QR code and there was no web address and I couldn't get my phone to scan it. That ageist poster is also assuming that the 80 year old has good enough eyesight to use a smartphone, it's not easy downloading an app and using it to pay for any age, if it's raining or the sun is shining on the screen and it takes time, as well. So patronising and lacking in empathy. Also as a customer you should be able to choose your method of communication and if you want to phone rather than use the useless bot on a website, you should be able to. Stroppy shop staff need to grow up.

Aposterhasnoname · 10/01/2023 15:46

ClubhouseGift · 10/01/2023 15:06

Your 80 year old mum has had 15 years to get used to a smartphone.

She chose not to, so now she’s in a difficult situation and struggling as she’s getting older, but that’s a situation of her own making.

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This. And as for younger people who proudly declare themselves technophobes, I hope your kids don’t take after you because buy the time you’re 80 there’ll be no getting round the need for a smartphone and you’ll be heavily relying on them for everything.

selfindulgentmoaner · 10/01/2023 15:52

ClubhouseGift · 10/01/2023 15:06

Your 80 year old mum has had 15 years to get used to a smartphone.

She chose not to, so now she’s in a difficult situation and struggling as she’s getting older, but that’s a situation of her own making.

Show quote history

In the caring professional by any chance? 🤣

bet you won’t be saying that when you’re older…

selfindulgentmoaner · 10/01/2023 15:54

This reply has been deleted

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LadyHarmby · 10/01/2023 15:57

Totally with you. It’s also very annoying when an organisation emails about using this great new app they’ve signed up to, it’ll do this and that and make things easier and then a couple of months later, they’re not using it and nor is anyone else.

It’s happened to me loads with schools, sports clubs, dance schools, hairdressers etc.

barneshome · 10/01/2023 16:00

I also do not have a smartphone
No need for one

barneshome · 10/01/2023 16:02

Aposterhasnoname · 10/01/2023 15:46

This. And as for younger people who proudly declare themselves technophobes, I hope your kids don’t take after you because buy the time you’re 80 there’ll be no getting round the need for a smartphone and you’ll be heavily relying on them for everything.

Show quote history

And good luck with your kids who will nt be able to communicate with people in real life and who will say that suffer anxiety and mental heath