"Phone apps masquerading as remote controls"
Does your remote control allow you to see extra information synched to the currently playing content - say game stats, leaderboards etc? Does it allows you to completely change the interface based on the playing content? Does it allow you to queue up and re-arrange media to add to the playlist? Does it allow multiple people to add items to the playlist, even items which you haven't paid for but they have? Does your remote have a scroll wheel which can fast forward/rewind at any speed (not stepped) that you wish? Does you remote interface get updated along with the application that it is controlling?
etc etc
Biting the hand that feeds IT
