That’s sort of like saying “the touchscreen is only one small part of the iPhone. The OS, the native apps, the camera, the App Store, app developers, hardware a

That’s sort of like saying “the touchscreen is only one small part of the iPhone. The OS, the native apps, the camera, the App Store, app developers, hardware accessories, repair service are all part of the stack.” You’re right, but that “small part” is absolutely critical to get right. It’s what allows the rest of the stack to be built; without that cornerstone, there’s no product. There had been many attempts at touch controls for computers before the iPhone. Other smartphones were trying. None of them were remotely close to what Apple achieved with their first capacitive screen, and that began a massive change in the way people interacted with their device, and changed the world. It’s like saying your roof is only “a small part of” your house. You’re right, on some level, but without that roof, there’s not much point in a really nice kitchen.