Set your phone up right then! I have the buttons on my Note II customised so you can skip tracks and stuff by long pressing them when the phone is in the pocket.
If you phone cannot do this, get a better phone that does support such features. You can't really complain about this when you didn't get something that was fit for needs in the first place.
I think your Op is a classic case of moaning for the sake of moaning. As mentioned, phones have been telling the time since single line monochrome LCDs were put on them. That hasn't stopped people wearing a wrist watch.
The only valid argument is that most phones don't have much battery power in reserve when used as a proper smartphone. Only a few can manage 2 days of solid use but with USB ports virtually everywhere it's not too much of an issue finding a means to charge somewhere.
