Sadly theres a growing push for app dependant board games now. Apparently because board gamers are too stupid or lazy to read the rules. And of course if you discontinue the app. The games useless now and you'll have to rebuy the game in a few years as 2.0. horray. Not.
Example I passed on the new Mansions of Madness as it requires an app to play. And the game is unplayable without it. Theres a resistance to this. But as more of these things come out its looking less and less likely to end unless theres a major failure or big refusal to buy. And cult of the new will buy it just because.
I bought the new Mansions of Madness boardgame for the miniatures ...
It isn't totally unplayable without it, but you DO have to do all the GM-work for it, as that is exactly what the app seem to do, from the description in the rules.
Sure, there is the thing that the app also tell the target number for combat rolls etc, but the monsters stats are noted on the cards in the actual game, soooo.....
But, i agree with your criticizm, even though i think the so-called "legacy games" are far worse atrocities when it comes to wasteful handling of material.
("Legacy games" boasts with that "No Game is ever the same, Literally!" because it has packs of cards that you do not unpack until later ... and because you are supposed to
physically tear up cards as you play, as well!, and that might even be true for sections of rules and/or the gameboard and/or varying tokens ....
...
When all that could be done with GM-styled preparation instead of destroying actual set pieces !
EDIT:
Essentially, they seem to introduce GM-like things, without actually using a GM !