I think it's a few things.
- Integration of stuff like GPS that can be done on a dedicated device but are easily done better on a phone through an app.
- Ready access to information on the go. (Much of which wan't really available on the go until the 2000s.) There's a lot you could do once the smartphone came out that you didn't have access to before. But there's a lot in general I can do today that I couldn't in the 1970s/80s.
- And yes, there are apps for things like parking, public transit, rideshare, airline notifications etc. that are more generally relevant if you're traveling and in cities.
What are you referring to? While it may be the most popular messaging app, it's not in any way, shape, or form essential. SMS is also universal, mostly unlimited, and much less weirder than it is in the US.
It hasn't been for like 15+ years since pretty much every subscription has either unlimited*/or more than you can reasonably use minutes/SMS.
>Not sure what's weird about SMS in the US?
Don't you get (or used to) charged for incoming SMS?
Examples?
Nb I have closed a bank account because I refuse[d] to install WhatsApp.
Some cities have been installing concrete filled pipes to close of what used to be access streets into parts of cities forcing them to be "foot traffic only". This started in the EU and became trendy. Now its spreading in the US in big cities. I am not complaining. In some places this actually works out. In some places it hurts business. I guess that is a matter of city planning. Even the really old town I grew up in is doing this now in the part of town that has a bunch of small businesses to encourage more foot traffic.
Another example is roundabouts. Some of the small cities are putting these in new developments. I think it's still somewhat experimental in the US as not every small city is doing this.
I believe the word you're looking for is 'bollard'.
In the 1990s, I remember payphones being conveniently available, but now I need to keep an eye on my battery if I'm going to phone home.
In 2010, I could log into any of my accounts with just WiFi and a password, now I need 2FA and often SMS is the only supported option. Sometimes a phone call. So in order to, say, check my bank account, I now need data and cell signal. That combination can be hard to get in a concrete building or while traveling abroad.
Although, to be honest, I find it pretty silly to avoid the use of a smartphone, or at least the use of a website. I guess some people like to waste time going to the local subsidiary and wait in line to solve even the most basic of problems, but that's not for me. Banking apps are spreading because they are more efficient.
In the future banking apps may be required. One thing that's happening in Europe are instant payments between banks. If you couple that with payments via apps (via phone number or scanning a QR code), the duopoly of Mastercard/Visa is under threat, as merchants would love to avoid their taxes.
The US is a little behind on this, maybe this is why Silicon Valley bros are constantly trying to disrupt finance.