Perhaps I'm missing something here, but I don't understand this cellphone vs. compact camera thing. I understand that nearly everyone has a cellphone with a camera built in. Makes it very convenient, but it seems to me that the only thing gained is the ability to immediately post images online. And I know there are apps for cellphone cameras that expand their capabilities, but it seems to me that none of this can equal or surpass what a good compact camera can do. Further, most of the compact cameras have the ability to connect with a cellphone or other mobile device for posting online. Furthermore, a decent compact has a good optical zoom, as opposed to the purely and inferiour digital zoom in a cellphone camera. The Sony RX100xx line is a good example of this, and they all fit in a shirt pocket. Makes them as convenient as a cellphone, I would think.

So, looking to the future of cameras, it seems that cellphone camera technology is going to have to go a very long distance before it can equal that of a good compact camera. I use my iPhone 8 Plus for occasional snaps, but for more serious photography (or at least as serious as I can be) I rely on either my Canon G16 (at the moment) or my Sony A6300. I think, while the casual, very simple point and shoot camera has a dim future, I think there is a good future for high end compact cameras. For those who love to take pictures but want to keep things simple, without having to lug around a heavy camera body and a bevy of lenses, while retaining the features and controls of larger cameras, a good compact camera definitely has a niche. I guess, in the end, this thing about cellphone cameras versus compact cameras (or any other camera) is really an apples/oranges thing. Again, maybe I'm missing something here, but that's how I see it. Perhaps someone can enlighten me?

So, looking to the future of cameras, it seems that cellphone camera technology is going to have to go a very long distance before it can equal that of a good compact camera. I use my iPhone 8 Plus for occasional snaps, but for more serious photography (or at least as serious as I can be) I rely on either my Canon G16 (at the moment) or my Sony A6300. I think, while the casual, very simple point and shoot camera has a dim future, I think there is a good future for high end compact cameras. For those who love to take pictures but want to keep things simple, without having to lug around a heavy camera body and a bevy of lenses, while retaining the features and controls of larger cameras, a good compact camera definitely has a niche. I guess, in the end, this thing about cellphone cameras versus compact cameras (or any other camera) is really an apples/oranges thing. Again, maybe I'm missing something here, but that's how I see it. Perhaps someone can enlighten me?

If you appreciate the difference. Also, the newest smartphones take pictures that rival what a DSLR can produce. Some come with 2 lenses / sensors - standard and wide angle. The main advances come from computational / chip technology which the stand alone camera manufactures have not caught up with. Additionally, they have ignored fast connectivity with they smartphone (what I am taking about is something similar to Apple’s mirroring). How many times have you seen posts that complain they can’t seem to get connect apps to work with their device?

Last week or so there was a posting of some shots of a marina in Florida in the golden hour. They where so sharp even I didn’t believe they were shot with an iPhone 8. So, I downloaded one and sure enough it was.
I’m a canon shooter and have two bodies plus a Nikon point & shoot. I still run my remodeling business and we use our phone cameras every day for record job shots. I still marvel at their low light capabilities and the ability to sent pics with with a message.
My wife’s Samsung Note 2 takes pictures that rival what my canon bodies produce and for posting on social media who really cares? The point is; smartphones take pictures that are just fine for the majority of people. With a sound knowledge of light and composition they can take pictures that rival or come close to the stand-alone camera. Now, where they come up sort is being able zoom in high quality. Obviously, you cannot take a sharp picture of a eagle 150 ft away and even compact cameras would come up short trying to do that.
You are missing the fact that most people always have their smartphone with them and do not want to have remember to bring the compact camera.