Oh good lord, WHY?! Smart phones are currently just not usable for anything security critical. No updates == no security. *rants on and on about stupid uses of technology creating needless privilege gaps etc.*
@Peter2150 IMO the issue isn't users getting dumber (which I have to disagree vehemently on), so much as a) Extremely poor security of smart phone OSes, due to lack of dependable updates b) A lot of people don't have and can't afford a smart phone c) In particular, more up-to-date phones are very expensive I worry that, between those factors, trends like this will have bad implications. People who are already poor could have their options further limited - a choice between being unable to use most ATMs, and paying a "smart phone tax" (with all the associated security implications). I'll avoid the political side of the discussion. But suffice to say, I am not happy about the lack of forethought going into things like this.
Actually people are actually dumber when it comes technology, not just smartphones, for example I have personally seen that today's kids don't even know how to write and yet they are always on smartphones and tablets-this is one of the reasons why I truly hate technology. Also, toda'ys people thanks to technology are the most incompetent generations to this day when it comes to practical skills, I mean everyone is selling IT, and all other forms of technology, but that will not make me learn how to root potato or any other plant for food, I mean come on, this technology will eventually destroy us/the entire human civilization except for Bear Grylls and similar people-horrible, just horrible.
This is already happening to my 14 and 9 years old kids! Simply true, some "live" social skills are lost in the process of technification.
FWIW...I concur with some excellent comments made in posts # 4 & 5 above by "Gullible Jones" and "CoolWebSearch", respectively, I happen to be someone who's elderly, with degenerative medical issues, largely-housebound - trying to subsist upon a small monthly disability income. I have only a simple, clam-shell type cell phone for emergencies. (No text messaging, No Internet data plan - VOICE only). I certainly can't afford some 'smartphone', much less the costs for text messaging & Internet data packages, etc. CoolWebSearch's observations are also right on target IMHO. Technology has become increasingly more advanced, and indeed provided a more 'comfortable' and 'convenient' lifestyle for many in society (for those who can afford it). But, what will be the ultimate cost? Loss of even the most basic, rudimentary knowledge of how to survive without all the technological conveniences is certainly a very real possibility. To paraphrase a cautionary comment I once heard back in the mid-1960's..."Computers/technology make excellent & efficient servants, but I would have no wish to serve UNDER them". Just something to think about...
Here is at least one example of a bank stating that its ATMs will continue to accept cards after cardless technology is implemented. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/banking/bank-watch-blog/article48826535.html Hopefully other banks will also continue to provide dual access for some time. The issue of the affordability of technology and the danger of poorer people being disenfranchised is certainly real. Hopefully there will be solutions. For instance public wifi used to be expensive; now you can go to almost any cafe or fast food restaurant for free internet access. I also just found this supposedly free wifi based cell phone service: https://www.freedompop.com/nationwide-wifi I don't know how good freedompop service is. It's just an example of services becoming more widely affordable/available and hopefully that will continue. It's debatable whether or not people are losing basic survival skills because of dependency on technology. You could say that about every major paradigm shift. For instance when people transitioned from hunter/gatherers to farmers no doubt a lot of them lost the ability to hunt and gather. When people left the farms for the cities and factories they lost the ability to farm, and so on. Whether or not people who aligned themselves with any particular method of survival are better, smarter, etc, is a separate, interesting question
Nexus phones like my 6p get monthly security updates.. Always the latest most secure android versions. But most other rubbish android phones don't.
I am dubious about smartphones being used for financial transactions, but more because users are lax about implementing security than because the phones themselves are insecure.
Much obliged to everyone for your feedback! (@ Victek): The article you linked to was quite informative - particularly so, as it imparts info from a bank where I have my checking account. Cheers!
The can-o-worms that is biometrics http://www.usatoday.com/story/cybertruth/2013/09/12/why-biometrics-dont-work/2802095/
