Stories
Why does setting up a new phone still take so long?
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News18•11-10-2026, 17:10
Why does setting up a new phone still take so long?
- •Even though data transfers seamlessly, banking apps, UPI apps, and password managers require fresh logins and security checks.
- •Security protocols ensure that apps do not instantly trust a new device, demanding identity verification at every step.
- •The need for verification often leads to OTPs arriving on the old phone after it has already been put away.
- •Peripheral tasks like reconnecting smartwatches, pairing Bluetooth devices, and resetting permissions stretch the setup across days.
- •The complexity has grown because our entire lives, from finances to health data, are now stored inside our smartphones.
Key Questions Answered
While modern phones easily transfer photos, contacts, and wallpapers, setting up security-heavy services like banking apps, UPI, WhatsApp, and password managers requires continuous identity verification and two-factor authentication to ensure the new device is truly secure.
Because phones now store sensitive financial services, payments, and personal identity data, these applications do not immediately trust a new device and require verification to protect user security.
During the setup process, users often turn off and put away their old phone, only to realize that an essential OTP verification code has been sent to that discarded device.
