The Push to Preserve Non-Smartphone Access as Services Go Digital

The everyday completion of tasks such as paying a check, entering a venue, accessing public transit, or signing in for work now often assumes ownership of a smartphone. The author notes that many routine activities—reading a restaurant menu, receiving packages, attending school events, and even booking a gym class—have become tied to apps or QR codes, making it difficult for anyone who wishes to forgo a phone.

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Smartphone penetration in the United States surged from 35 % of adults in 2011 to 81 % in 2019, and now roughly nine-in-ten adults own a device, according to Pew Research Center. This rapid adoption has led institutions to treat the phone as a universal credential, a process the author describes as “isomorphism”: organizations adopt digital interfaces not because they are optimal, but because peers have done so. The shift has yielded convenience—e.g., tap-to-enter transit—but also cost-cutting benefits for companies and governments, including reduced labor, automated pricing, and extensive data collection.

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Legislative and regulatory actions are emerging to protect those who cannot or choose not to use smartphones. New York state recently enacted a ban on “cashless establishments,” ensuring that cash and non-digital payment methods remain available. The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly urged member states in 2023 to retain offline access to public services, and a coalition of European anti-poverty and digital-rights groups called for guaranteed offline options in early 2025. In the United States, the Meta settlement—at least $12.1 billion to address claims that Facebook and Instagram were designed to addict children—has spurred broader discussions about redesigning digital products for all users.

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Companies are experimenting with phone-free alternatives. Afreka Ebanks, spokesperson for Dumb.co, a seller of “dumb phones,” argues that consumer pressure can motivate businesses to retain non-digital options, citing a Washington, DC bike-share system that still offers physical key rentals. Ebanks also reports personal efforts to persuade a local gym to reinstate key-fob access, allowing members to exercise without phones.

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If a sizable minority opts out of smartphones, businesses may find it financially prudent to maintain parallel, low-tech channels. Such a shift could curb the data-driven price discrimination highlighted by economists and preserve accessibility for the elderly, disabled, unhoused, and low-income populations who currently face barriers to essential services.

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