From concert tickets to hotel reservations, everything you want to do now requires an infuriating app

Tue, 08/15/2023 - 06:01

Person falling through phone illustration — More people are wanting to cut back on their smartphone use. But we've made it nearly impossible to leave our phones behind.
Jasmin Merdan/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/Insider

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, the internet was typically tethered to a desk. You had to use your bulky desktop computer to get online, and as soon as you walked away, you were offline again. But the development of smartphones — along with the rollout of broadband internet, greater access to WiFi, and data plans — ensured people could always be online.