I'm surprised this news is regarded as "new" from those who have been around for a few years or more. This was actually suggested quite a while ago (by Mike, during a TCA Museum talk{edit - I think Chris (below) and I probably saw the same talk}). Understandable for anyone more recently joining the hobby, since they weren't here to hear it back when it was first suggested.
Mike definitely loves the App. With all the delays and money he must have poured in developing the DCS system way back when, I can understand from a development standpoint why he wants to go that way. Much cheaper to develop software for a piece of hardware you don't have to build than to have to develop both.
He also talked up the fact that everyone already has a smart phone (or many do, at least). He considered it a benefit that people could do what they want with a piece of hardware many already have rather than spend more money on a separate remote.
I'm fully in the hardware remote camp as well. I can't stand looking at a screen to control a train since I can't feel for anything but the home and volume buttons on an iPod/iPhone.
-Dave
