Taking snapshots on the iPhone (XsMax for me) has been useful for several things. Without going into RAW iPhone processing, I got a Camera-Plus app that allows me to control the ISO, so with a tabletop tripod or Gorillapod, I can shoot in lower light at a low shutter speed without having the phone automatically select ISO 250 or higher, which is a disaster for the tiny sensor. It might not be more than a novelty in most cases, but I'd guess there is real value in the phone camera for some people who are constrained to get a better image from the thing under less-than-ideal circumstances.