But composition is step #0. :-)
I have taken some of my best shots on my iPhone 7. But there's no joy, maybe because of shutter lag. And also the good image to bad image ratio for me is horrible. Maybe 2000 deliberate shots per year and a handful keepers.
I think that single purpose devices create more deliberate and mindful behavior. Thus even if the nominal task is completed successfully, the result just doesn’t feel right.
Example: I can and have read books on my iPhone, but I find the result subpar compared to reading on Kindle or dead tree. Even though I technically completed my task, the experience of completing it wasn’t what I would’ve had on a single purpose device.
But once out in the real world, the camera you actually have with you wins every time.
I’ve never been convinced by this argument, because you control what camera you have with you. It’s not like the universe will surprise you by teleporting your camera to Pluto without warning.
If you’re into photography, you’ll find a way to have your preferred camera on you more often. Pre-quarantine I carried mine daily.
If you’re not into photography, you’ll have your cell phone, and that’s ok too.
But once in the hands of someone who knows how to process their photos, dedicated cameras win every single time.