In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is becoming increasingly common. Does this development have more advantages or disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words

Since the first "smartphone" was introduced by Steve Jobs in 2007, it has changed the way we live today. Nowadays, people rely on their smartphones to do the jobs of numerous devices, not merely for calling and texting. One of them is to serve as a form of

payment

.

While

there are flaws in the process, the benefits of making a purchase through a "tap" or a "QR scan" have far outweighed them. Both sides will be discussed in the essay.

Firstly

, one of the main reasons that some people may still prefer bringing their own cards or even withdrawing the money is

due to

the complexity of setting up and loading the

card

or the

payment

information to the apps.

This

idea is popular among the previous generations, including my father or my grandfather

for example

. Having owned a smartphone for a decade, my father is still used to carrying a bulky wallet with money or bank cards inside, and he seems to be content with

this

. The second reason is that not all places accept mobile

payment

methods, especially in the form of "tapping", which is to hold the

phone

or the

card

against the machine to make a purchase

such

as in small counters, or old shops.

Thirdly

, putting in the

payment

information on the smartphone can pose a risk of a

data

breach. Equifax

data

breach from years ago is a prime example of how not to trust any apps entirely when typing your

data

online, especially with your credit

card

information.

However

, the flaws do not stop the progress of shifting to

this

relatively new, compared to using

card

,

payment

method. The biggest factor is convenience. When going out, your physical wallet will not be needed since all of the cards are stored in your

phone

.

As a result

, your pants pocket will be less bulky with your personal belongings. Carrying your

phone

instead

of bringing your

card

outside is much more secure in the sense that your

phone

will only bring up the

card

to "tap" on demands.

This

mitigates any RFID hack attempts from the bad actors. And even though I have mentioned that it is a risk to put your

payment

data

in your

phone

, you will still have control over your

data

. Some

phone

manufacturers, like Samsung, go as far as allowing users to find their

phone

or delete all the

phone

data

remotely if their cell phones are lost or stolen.

To conclude

, the shift to buying goods using mobile phones has more benefits than drawbacks with convenience and control over your

data

being the two biggest factors. Eventually, even small businesses will adopt

this

new form of

payment

to generate their revenue.