Do you think the same for using credit cards in general or is using the phone somehow worse?

I use cash whenever possible, but carrying cash for larger transactions has its own risks and those risks need to be balanced against the privacy benefits it offers. The way I see it, carrying a credit card in addition to my phone when I might need it is a minor inconvenience relative to that of allowing Google complete control over my phone.

Credit cards have become mainly a way for the banks and visa/mc to use the customer to strong arm money out of the business.

Get 3% and rebate some to the customer. For the convenience.

It’s kind of sad, really.

I am all in favor of ways to strong-arm money out of businesses --- they seem to be doing quite well at the expense of customers.