Being a paid service practically forces Nintendo to improve it over time, because there's always the risk of people droping subscriptions, which means low player-bases, and less money being made. Yes, it's annoying Nintendo didn't add as much as they should've in time for launch, but that doesn't mean they can't do so afterwards.

Those who actually used it said it's not actually that bad. Yes, the option to use a more conventional headset would be needed, but everyone has warmed up to the idea so far as its easy to set up, and lets you talk with randoms in most games. 

It will never be as convenient as pressing a single button to talk.

How is getting a phone to chat any different from getting a headset, turning it on/plugging it in, then strapping it to your ear? The whole "need another device" argument is BS because you always need another device for voice chat on consoles. Yes, we should have an option to use a conventional headset, but this current solution isn't made more clunky just because its on a phone. The main problem people have with it at the moment, is that there's currently no way to output the chat audio to the console or tv's Speakers, everything inputs and outputs through the phone, which can be limiting in various situations. 

...

What?

Headphone = 1 device

Headphone + phone = 2 devices

This isn't complicated

Except you don't have to use headphones with the app. Just open it, and put it on a coffee table or counter. Yes, most would like an option to use a headset connected directly to the Switch, but you really don't need the Hori Splat and Chat mess that people initially feared. 

Even the Dreamcast and original 2001 Xbox and 2000 PS2 coulddo it. 

I just felt like talking. I'll go now.

I don't get your point. 

So you're saying that because you don't HAVE to use a headphone it only takes one device?

Most devices that incorporate voice chat don't require headphones. But people still use them. So you're creating a false equivalency.

Headsets are necessary for voice chat on consoles because controllers and systems don't have a microphone, thus a device is needed to use VOIP. At least on PC you could find a Laptop or monitor that has a built-in mic like mine does. Sony and Microsoft choose headsets because they allow for solo conversations. Nintendo's decision to use a phone? They historically preferred open mic solutions for voice chat, allowing everyone in a single room to listen and chat, and services like Discord proved phones can be decent open mics. And since everyone has a phone, there's no need to develop or include extra hardware to facilitate voice chat, when people already carry a device that can fill that role. It's not a perfect setup by any means, but you should understand the reasoning behind it. 

The point is that you only need your phone with the app open to use voice chat on Switch. It's not that different from only needing a headset to chat on other consoles. Sure, getting a headset-like setup is a bit more fiddly on Switch, and something that should be addressed as I mentioned because it is an issue, but it's not some needlessly complicated disaster many feared it to be. 

So again we're back to square one 

If you want to use headphones, which 99.99% of people do 

it DOES take two items

You are over-explaining yourself for a point that's bad. 

People don't like using console voice chat like a phone call. 

There's nothing wrong with just adding this in as some little point but writing about it as if it is a huge point against everyone who mentions that the app is an over-complicated solution is nonsense

Yes, it's more fiddly if you want to chat with head phones on Switch due to the lack of any convenient way to combine both game and chat audio output. This is again, something that should be addressed. The point is that many people won't care about using headphones in most situations unless they're out in public. To those people who are playing at home, this setup is fine. Generally speaking, it's a concept that should be more fleshed out if it wants to be more useful.