On: New iOS privacy feature may end an era of personal...

[MaxBarraclough]

You seem to be implying it's a frivolous luxury that delivers little real value. That's not the case.

Much has been written on telephony in the developing world.

[mvanbaak → MaxBarraclough]

Telephony can be handled by dumb phones

[izacus → mvanbaak]

Telephony is dead. These days in many places cannot get a job or function without access to email or chat. In a lot of non-rich markets the smartphone is the cheapest option to gain access to these communication systems.

We're not in 1998 anymore where people phone you.

[dividedbyzero → izacus]

> In a lot of non-rich markets the smartphone is the cheapest option to gain access to these communication systems.

I'd say that's nowadays true for richer parts of the world as well.

[izacus → dividedbyzero]

Yeah - although at least according to analytics a lot of western world people also own a computer. In many asian/african areas most of the population only has a smartphone to access the internet.

[MaxBarraclough → mvanbaak]

A smartphone is far more capable than a 'dumb' mobile phone, especially to someone who doesn't own any other computer.