I agree that smartphone cameras have really evolved. Your point is well taken. I suppose that if I wanted to pack super light and take snapshots and/or pictures for the web - or maybe make small prints - and not have to bother with any post processing...one could make an argument for the utility that phone cameras offer.

However, that's not what photography is about. The whole point of shooting with advanced technology is to be able to capture your vision (subject/composition/DOF/light control) in the field...then finish off that creation in the digital darkroom adding your own artistic flair. I want to add my own perspective on saturation, sharpness, dynamic range, noise reduction, contrast, etc. I don't want some software engineer at Apple to do that.

I expect the RAW image out of camera to be rather flat. In fact, the settings in my camera are "neutral" on purpose. It is my job to take that "raw" image and complete the processing to enhance the feeling and mood of the capture. And, the concept that an iPhone has greater dynamic range than a high-end digital camera is just not correct. Just bringing down the highlights to a RAW image in LR does not complete the processing of the image and certainly does not constitute a viable evaluation of dynamic range.

Also, there are many, MANY things that a phone camera simply cannot do.

Yes, phone cameras are great. But to compare them to cameras and lenses (and tripods and speedlights) dedicated to the art of photography is just not realistic. It's like comparing a Space Shuttle to a kite. They both fly but that's about it.