Interesting series of points, thanks!
I don't need my phone to completely replace my DSLR. I conceive of three buckets. In the first is just snapshots, low expected quality. This has always been my phone. In the third bucket is the stuff I want truly high quality. This has always been my DSLR and will continue to be.
But that middle bucket, that's the kind of things like family gatherings, or I'm at the ballpark, or on a bike ride to a pretty place, or any moment that presents itself as a good opportunity for a nice shot, but while I'm just out and about (the other night, out at dinner, there was a shot of paddleboarders coming across the lake, that my current phone just couldn't handle).
Currently, I'm under-served in that middle bucket. If I bring my DSLR to a location or an event, then I'm committing to that being my activity: photography. Nothing wrong with that, I've enjoyed that over the years, but as I've gotten older (and older... and older... ugh) I've wanted more to be involved in the activity instead of photographing it. I've learned that I can't do both and enjoy both. I'd be too conscious of photo ops missed, or of my equipment being insecure and unprotected. Gotta do one or the other.
Your point about the point-and-shoot is a good one. You're not the first one to advise that, and it's good advice. But that is still something additional I'm carrying around (and could lose, get stolen, break, etc., all the stuff I stress about). So I'm hoping a high-end camera phone will fill that spot. There's a third option, too: just get the mini, and purchase an external 58mm telephoto lens, like from Moment. That's something on the table as well, though I still need to be prepared if I'm going to use it.
