I can understand the underlying sentiment you're trying to get across but I just have to challenge the assertion that "IMHO, neither iPhones in particular, nor smartphones in general have really altered the course of the world in any meaningful way" because the world has already been altered greatly by having the capabilities of smartphones be so widely available.
In fact, there have been several significant events in recent history that were started because someone used a smartphone to do something. Unless one of the bystanders watching what happened to George Floyd was carrying a camcorder that day, the public would probably have never known about it.
I imagine Steve Jobs will probably be relevant in our cultural memories for the next few generations. But his relevance will probably fade, just as people today have heard the name 'Howard Hughes' but are only barely aware of his importance and impact.
For your last para - I seriously doubt it. I often see youngsters being awed by Musk and sometimes even Gates due to his foundation work/PR/whatever. Jobs? Nope. Yeah, most of them know him and maybe are aware of him but that's about it. And rightly so.
In fact, there have been several significant events in recent history that were started because someone used a smartphone to do something. Unless one of the bystanders watching what happened to George Floyd was carrying a camcorder that day, the public would probably have never known about it.
I imagine Steve Jobs will probably be relevant in our cultural memories for the next few generations. But his relevance will probably fade, just as people today have heard the name 'Howard Hughes' but are only barely aware of his importance and impact.