WITH the increasing popularity of smartphones, a mobile phone today in China is much more than just a beeping device to connect people.

It’s a “mobile wallet” to make online purchases as well as payments at brick-and-mortar shops and pay for utility bills. It’s a device to collect coupons of big brands, pay for taxis and make money by managing investment products.

In short, it allows for a “mobile payment life.”

That means if you lose your phone, you might lose everything — your wallet, you credit cards and your personal information such as your ID number and contact information for family and friends.

Behind much of this lifestyle change in China is Taobao, which has attracted more than 80 million active phone users. By simply clicking and tapping on the small screen, users can reserve a window table in a fine restaurant, select a cozy seat in the cinema, book flights and hotel rooms, find people to run errands, and even enjoy a quick channel to obtain passage and endorsement services to Hong Kong and Macao.

In a sequel to the “Double 11” (November 11) online shopping craze launched by Taobao five years ago and now a national shopping frenzy, the “Double 12” (December 12) shopping spree today is targeting smartphone shoppers.

Users can join the hourly lucky draws to win 50,000 fresh foods such as crabs and ginseng, fight for cheap airline tickets, enjoy half-price taxi rides and even buy discounted apartments on Taobao Real Estate.

Taobao app for smartphone has become the world’s largest platform of mobile shopping, according to Zhang Jianfeng, president of Taobao.com, China’s dominant online shopping website. “Through the app, people can not only precisely find what they need within seconds but also enjoy more than 10,000 services in their daily lives. It’s a huge eco-system.”

Statistics reveal that through the Taobao app, consumers grab 300 movie tickets every second, about 100,000 house cleaners are on standby and more than 30,000 garages in some 200 cities offer car-maintenance services. Without cash, all of these services are done via the smart-phone wallet.

Helen Liu, an accountant at a privately owned company, has a long list of things to buy on “Double 12,” such as books for her 10-year-old son, skincare products and snacks.

“Why not? The prices of most products (on Taobao) will be at least 50 percent off,” says the 39-year-old Shanghai native. “And it’s very easy and simple. I don’t even need a computer, just several clicks on my mobile phone and it’s done!”

In fact, mobile payment and shopping have been woven deeply into the lives of millions of Chinese people. As the bellwether Taobao moves ahead, many other players are following closely, offering help in numerous categories.

Personal finance management

China PnR, one of the country’s leading third-party payment companies, provides a comprehensive range of payment services, including mobile payment and investment. Customers can choose short- or long-term investment products on their mobile phones.

At the same time, almost every bank has launched its own mobile phone app, and users can easily manage their accounts and make transactions by just clicking on the smartphone anytime, anywhere.

Paying utility, phone and various other bills is another snap with smartphones. Lakala.com, a strong player in China’s third-party payment market, offers a quick, convenient path to pay for various bills without spending hours queuing and without any transaction fees.

It is also storming convenience stores. Customers can enjoy special discounts by paying with the phone app. In addition, it has installed more than 400 mobile payment terminals in convenience stores in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, through which people can buy train tickets and pay off their credit cards and utility bills.

“I don’t need to go out to pay the bills in this cold weather,” says Jiang Laidi, 65, a retiree. “My daughter has downloaded an app on my phone so that I can do it at home.”

Third-party payment companies such as Alipay and Tenpay also encourage users to do good things for those who are in need. People can donate money through their smartphone wallets to help poor students finish their studies, buy school lunches for orphans, build village medical centers in remote areas and care for childless war veterans.

Those who are too busy to go to the bank to pay off their credit cards use prompt-into-account repayment service. Within three seconds, the debts are cleared. They can also be reminded of their due date by e-mail, WeChat messages and text messages.

Last year, a pay service for traffic tickets launched by Tenpay in 117 cities won praise among drivers all over the country, who received traffic warrants. Drivers can quickly pay the fines without waiting in long queues at the police station.

“Just with a smartphone, I can buy meals, reserve tickets and watch movies in the cinema; I can do almost everything,” says Xu Wen, a designer who works in an online shop selling bed sheets. “I can’t imagine a life without my iPhone.”

With the increasing use of quick, convenient mobile payments, however, the security of people’s personal information is threatened. Credit card fraud, information leaks due to loopholes in payment platforms and cell phone viruses that can steal user’s codes and payment passwords are all-too-frequent occurrences.

Experts urge users not to connect their online payment accounts with debit cards carrying large balances. Passwords should be complicated, and daily spending limits should be set.

If mobile phones are out of service for an unknown reason, users should check their bank and online payment accounts as soon as possible. Dubious QR codes should not be scanned in case of Trojan Horse viruses. In addition, people should avoid using free public Wi-Fi.

A typical ‘mobile’ day in Shanghai

• 7:30am — A new day starts with the ringing of the alarm clock set in your smartphone. After washing up, pick up your phone and ready to go to work. No, you don’t need your wallet because you can go through the day with only a small smartphone.

• 8am — Take a cab to the office and pay the fare with Alipay by phone. Remember today, December 12, you can enjoy 14 yuan free, a promotion for Alipay users during the “Double 12” shopping festival.

Stop at a convenience store and buy a quick breakfast. At the cashier, pull out your smartphone and swipe it on a Lakala mobile payment terminal. Done.

• 12pm — When the busy morning is over, it’s time to have lunch. If you don’t feel like going out, you can order take-away food over the phone via Dianping app (a restaurant rating platform).

• 6:30pm — A work-loaded afternoon finally comes to its end. You start to think about picking a fine restaurant to have a romantic night. After reading the restaurant ratings on Dianping.com, you find a nice, cozy place and quickly reserve a table by the booking app, which offers special discounts for phone users.

• 9pm — The night is gorgeous and everything is great. Maybe next time we can travel together, you think. Pick up your phone to arrange the dream trip — airline tickets, airport pick-up and hotel rooms — all done by C-trip app on the phone.

What a lovely day.