They're UI changes? Like I'm not entirely sure what you're arguing, any modern UI always involves some mix of hardware (physical controls and maybe a touchscreen) and software. My point is that the design space in the UI does evolve for the better in many cases.

A Nest thermostat for example which is a mix of screen, physical button and dial, is way more usable and feature rich than old school digital thermostats with buttons and monochrome LED displays.