There seems to be plenty of them out there still, several friends of mine have them.
I've had a smartphone, since late '09, and honestly, given some of the things you can do, and the advantages you do have, they are well worth consideration if some practical use would be helpful.
2 things come to mind, the weather, and using the internet for parts diagrams, ordering parts and so on, those 2 things are a part of every farm large or small.
I can use this device to pull up a parts diagram immediately for something that is right in front of me that I am working on, then order the parts, and I have done it for tractors, small power equipment, appliances, and so on. Its possible to talk on the phone and look at the diagrams as well, though my first smartphone, the droid you could not do that.
The weather, well its simple and extremely handy. Before I had a smart phone, I had to do some fence work at the farthest end of the place, and a laborer from another farm was sent over to help, he had a smart phone, and I knew the weather was going to turn, just not sure when. So we are handling t-posts, fence, using a long steel bar, tractor and loader, etc. He pulls up the radar map and I see this impending doom unfolding to the west, a really intense thunderstorm, we packed it in, and made it back to the barns with time to spare, that in itself sold me. I constantly look at the radar to determine where the rain is or incoming weather is.
Cameras are nice on these, so if you want to take a photo of a data plate, serial number plate, all of your equipment, tools and things similar for insurance reasons, that little silver or black box in your pocket will do it. Take something apart need to have someone else(s) eyes see it remotely, just send it off. Need a parts diagram from a book or anything you can think of that won't fit in your pocket.... the uses are many.
When I feel that the device that fits neatly in my right leg carpenter pants pocket, just above the knee, is at risk of loss or damage I remove it and put it in a protective case that I can either wear on my belt or place it in the cab, or somewhere safe. I don't need to be that connected, people get ticked if you don't answer immediately LOL, so what.... when you get to it, you get to it. I do this when processing firewood, as saw chips get into the connection port and I use my legs to butt logs against when using a hand tool to lift the logs.
As much as I liked the last flip phone I had, the advantages of the smartphone are many just the same. I got an HTC one a year ago, aluminum case, no protective case to keep it thin, just a screen protector, I use blue painters tape over the camera lense as a cover, keeps it perfectly clean and scratch free. It is thin and you don't really notice you have it on you. This one has speakers in true stereo, so I plug it in near my tool box in the garage, call up any radio station I want across the country and listen away. I cut and trimmed 2 deer a few days back while listening to my favorite station, and its hours for each deer, so it sure was nice to have something to listen to, late at night no commercials, just music.
Just some practical everyday uses, I don't do social media, or many things similar, nor do I have a ton of apps, or any complicated usage, most if not all is practical and I think anyone could easily learn how to use one of these.
I find the maps and or app like map quest to find places you have not been too, say when buying something off CL, makes it easy. I had to find a fellow YT'er 90 miles away, for a badly needed salvage part and it made the trip real easy at the end, however these apps are not infallible, still very useful.
Tin foil hat- well if the government or someone wants to look at my boring life, (photos or any text messages etc.) have at it, nothing to hide, if I did, I'd not be using one of these devices.
Not trying to debate or anything of the sort, just pointing out the usefulness of a smartphone, each to their own on that. I like things simple, and resisted getting one of these, never thought I'd need any of it, but practical use convinced me otherwise. Could I still get along without any of it? Certainly.
I've had a cell phone since the bag phone and all the way to the current times, its really something to look back now. When I sold electronics for a period of time to get by, I can remember phones that listed for $800, while bag phones were still prevalent, and that phone did nothing for you except fit in your pocket, and probably had all kinds of issues with the service available then.