next step… bar code tattoos to replace passports and CNI’s 
just joking 
Have you considered the environmental impact of producing the smartphone, and the materials from which it is made, in the first place.
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Yes, I agree completely @vero, I have never thought that the french as a nation don’t like tech, in fact the opposite. You only have to look at how many things are actually owned by french companies from culture to tech to know that’s not the case. Take something like Thales, for all their evil killing machines used on the battlefield they are also at the cutting edge of so many tech projects. My point that perhaps got lost because I’m usually typing while doing 3 other things was precisely as you say, that on the whole this country and the people are up for moving forward with tech and such which is why I do try to push back often when people start suggesting that things will be kept the same indefinitely because those on the fringes want so. Those people will be looked after and accommodated for much more here than in anglophone countries but no one will be turning back the hands of time.
The tongue in cheek comment about the rioting was just just that as a nation you always like to surprise the world so these things can never be taken for granted 
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I suspect smartphones can do a zillion things and most people will use at least a few of them, but you can’t tell ahead of time which ones you actually need. You can remove things from a smartphone and it will remain smart but less overengineered.
I need mine for work which is one thing, but it makes my non-work related life considerably simpler seeing I can’t do personal/family admin stuff in person all week, to be able to do it online from my telephone when I am actually free.
Oh we like a good riot and there’s nothing like a few loads of manure etc on the préfecture steps to convey one’s views
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Of course, each of us will have different experiences… not only with technology but with people…
I know some folk (and it’s not just the elderly) who cannot cope with modern technology… or only in a limited way.
Greatly embarrassed that they now need to ask for help … and they are not too happy to give their private info to “an outsider” … (no, I’m not the “outsider”)
OK… they are in a minority… but they do exist…
I know some personally… they are French… love their country… etc etc… proud of what is being achieved, but they simply don’t have the “whatever” to cope with all that is being mooted. This constant push to put everything on-line etc is making them feel “less than normal”
I am pleased that there still are some alternatives available to them.
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somewhat like smart TV’s have become overtime - the norm - smart phones will surely follow.
PPID - portable personal information device what’s not to like?
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Yes those alternatives are necessary indeed - but to be blunt those people will disappear probably in the relatively short term - it isn’t a reason not to promote the use of apps. I’m sorry to say if they don’t feel normal they are right, the norm has changed. It’s a shame they feel ‘less than’ though.
Although when/if the servers die it is handy to be able to function.
Mind you if all the servers die at once we’ll probably have more immediate things to worry about.
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Yes, which is why I said
although I imagine if you are truly to consider this you have to take the environmental impact and then divide it by however many hundreds of thousands or millions of actions you use the phone for. Using entirely arbitrary numbers, the manufacture of the phone may cause a 10 tonnes of environmental damage, but if producing the plastic card produces 0.5 tonne, and using an e card counts for 0.01 tonne of the overall environmental impact of the phone, then surely the phone is still better because the card has one purpose, the phone has potentially thousands. Perhaps I’m looking at it wrongly. I’m not an expert in this area, and I have always tried my hardest to only speak to things I actually know about.
I’m glad you said that, I’ve steadfastly avoided doing so 
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As I stated… it’s not simply the elderly… this involves both ends of the age-scale… and everything in between. … so I’m not expecting all of them to pop their clogs for quite some years yet…
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Those who are very young will get older and learn the new ways.
Those who are old will drift over the rainbow bridge.
sadly… disabilities … rarely… simply disappear…
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I think that they will disappear for all sorts of reasons not just clog-popping: technology can be adapted to deal with all sorts of difficulties, and the more widespread use of technology is the sooner people’s needs can be catered for, people can learn, and of course people die.
‘Both ends of the age scale’ does that mean people under 18 as well as ancients?
And then learn to resent the newer ways, in their turn. 
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Certainly some in their 20’s…
I don’t talk technology with the little kids… I play football/hopscotch with them…
Or microchips… like the dogs and cats
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actually… I think @Fleur has the answer…
When a baby is born… tag it like we do dogs… with a puce… containing the basic personal details… (possibly a voice activated puce…)
Thus said child/adult will be able to pass through the machinery of Life without needing any smartphone etc… everything will be controlled by some giant governmental Computer linked to each puce…
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and fall over and hurt yourself
my 5 year old grandson can probably teach me a few things by now about technology - far safer to let him play with his similarly aged friends and for me and my age group to watch from a safe distance…
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the teachers/adults do worry about me from time to time … sadly Covid has put the mockers on my playground fun… but this Summer, I hope things will get back to normal.
They were thinking of doing that in Sweden, chip in ankle bone - but finally decided (phew) that it was a can of worms in terms of ethics, consent etc. Not that that has bothered them in the past eg forced sterilisation of people with disabilities and ‘antisocial elements’.