If one is going to go into the effort and cost to put an SoC onboard that can run a touchscreen, one should just have the device communicate with the touchscreen computer in your pocket instead.
Common basic functions: knobs dials switches.
Extended functions: there's an app for that, or suffer through modal button changes like you describe.
Save on BOM costs, less points of failure, and does not require an SoC with display controller and a software stack running a (usually janky and slow and non-standard) UI.
This does happen on a lot of devices. It’s ok for stuff you expect to last a few years but anything longer and the app stops working before the device does.
I have a bike gps which has some functions as a phone app but the phone app no longer works.
This is an awful idea in practice. For example, an update to my Anova precision cooker required I logged in with a Facebook account to continue using it.
Common basic functions: knobs dials switches.
Extended functions: there's an app for that, or suffer through modal button changes like you describe.
Save on BOM costs, less points of failure, and does not require an SoC with display controller and a software stack running a (usually janky and slow and non-standard) UI.