Well, smartphones can make available additional material (e. youg.tube or khan academy), provide practice space (e.g. wordwall, quizizz, among others), or help collaborate (e.g. trello, padlet, etc). But when there is not a clear objective it can be a direct channel to distract students attention.
Más que el dispositivo electrónico, el uso educativo con el que se pueda sacar provecho, en la medida que sea funcional y no sea un abstracto que conduzca a la dispersión, puede covertirse en un aliado para la enseñanza.
I would only add that some of my students rely on their smartphones because it is their only source of technology and internet access. I agree that it is not ideal, but the last contractor I hired used his cell to send me his contract.
Interesting question and replies. Certainly smartphones have possibilities, for example through applications, that can enhance teaching. Of course, they have challenges too.
Personally, in higher education, I have used applications such as Kahoot, which helps gathering opinions from students in an interractive and interesting way.
Aside that, I have seen students using them in class, to gather data or information for an inquiry activity.
It all comes down to estimating potential and planning.