The "analysts" are, too. On top of that, phones are still a "platform" to deliver "an experience" ment only to please you insofar it lets the carrier "own" you. Thus the walled gardens. Thus the NFC push, with a secure element in your phone that isn't owned by you. It owns you, instead.
In that context, any and all extra sensors is more ways to spy on you. That is all.
What I'd like? As a phone, a device that lets me connect with the rest of the world. As a computing device something that lets me run my own code and have full control over every aspect of the hardware. Yes, down to the GSM stack, and it's possible. Combining, a device that shows me the available ways of communication and lets me take full advantage of every one in reach, any way I'd like. Enhanced by my own apps.
This is something quite different than the "seamless integrated experience" that apple does so well -- we already have that, thank you. Now for a raw power in my hands communication tool.
Plus, robust hardware that actually performs above and beyond "tickbox level" that fails to deliver when pushed (looking at you, "enterprise class" nokia phones). Good battery life. In that context, linux is and always be too heavy, simply because it contains too much code and never was designed for low-power use. You can get a long way, sure, but never quite as far as, say, psion got (before nokia fucked it up under the symbian moniker).
And then there's this: Privacy. Every single phone fails on this point in at least one way. Pity we'd need different protocols to really make it happen (ought to be part of 5G, so EU, if you're listening, make it a requirement for the subsidies you're tossing the phone industry for making 5G happen). Smartphones fail on this in more than one way, and there's really no way to fix that in the current models, so better models are needed. As well as more due dilligence. Too bad we'll only get a little fake bit of the latter, no more.
But for starters, I'll take a dual-sim (micro sim, no smaller) candybar no thicker than a centimetre, fits in trouser pocket, with a basic camera, 3.5mm jack, micro sd, wifi, voip, tethering, modem with working fax support (that really is but a SMOP, but occasionally oh so useful), basic packet data support, voice encryption, at least a week of stand-by, and cyanogenmod support or equivalent under some other OS. This obviously fits the models of exactly nobody who has any influence on what sort of phones will become available.
And so the notion of "innovation" among phones will remain rather vapid, as usual and by now entirely expected.