It's not the _devices_, per se. It's the network. The infrastructure. And the ability for Google to rely on a phone number per person. It's an invalid model.
And voice comms are occasionally useful, though I make them rarely -- it could easily be months.
The idea of carrying a bundle of angry that can start sounding at any time, anywhere, is a turn-off. Especially if I've no control of who's at the other end.
Two of the primary reasons people carry phones are because others demand that they be reachable, and secondarily, so that the phone holder can reach others. The second I don't mind as much though it's also a crutch.
A device with good text capabilities, that can also optionally receive voice inputs and convert that to text, allows a very* limited whitelist set of calls, and otherwis directs all incoming traffic to a wait or prove your worth queue, would start to approach reason.
I remember the days of five-line dial phones and office receptionists, pre voicemail. It sucked for the receptionist, but coming back or into the office and being handed a stack of message slips was vastly preferable to bouncing through voicemail and having to do the transcriptions yourself.
Better hope Apple shareholders don't find out!