Honestly? I find a lot of things a smartphone CAN do aren't as convenient as they should be.
Like the stopwatch function is buried inside the clock app. So you can't open it quickly. And on top of that, instead of a tactile button you can rest your finger on and hit at a moments notice, the button on the phone is a touch sensitive area on a glass pane. It's just not as optimal as a dedicated digital stopwatch.
Not sure for iOS, but on Android you can put the stopwatch widget on your home screen if you use it a lot, makes it easier to reach. Not as easy as a dedicated stopwatch, but an option if you don't want one but use the feature a lot.
Takes time to reach the app. Takes one second to press one button on the stopwatch.
And I rather reserve the phone's battery for something else than for this purpose.
I am by no means gadget shaming, don't get me wrong. It's just I do all you mentioned there with a stopwatch on my phone, and personally I would never consider buying a dedicated stopwatch for this purpose. I'm happy you're enjoying yours though, may it last you long!
Agree. I think that about watches too. Beyond a fashion accessory, I can't find them useful. I've had good watches, cheap watches, digital and automatic. Not only do they feel weird on my skin, my phone can do the job better.