If he chooses not to use the app (either via your phone or his own) to check-in they will have to do the whole process there - taking the photo, inputting the passport information, linking a credit card. It will most likely be done in the same line as others but you will see others going through faster than you/him.
I would recommend doing as much as you can via the app. As Don mentioned not every person in the party needs to have the app as check-in can be done for all parties by anyone on the reservation. it really does make things faster, smoother and easier. They terminal staff tend to move very fast and there's a lot of noise, I fear errors in that kind of environment.