There are hundreds of devices out there, each have their own little feature or quirk. To start with 10 years ago you had a flip out clam shell mobile. Then came the joystick / joypad. After this there was the scroll wheel. Then a trackball to help you move the cursor around the screen. Now there’s simply touch.
Why do you need a trackball, joystick / joypad or even a scroll wheel when you have touch available? Well, it depends on what device you have. See there’s touch and there’s touch. Oh and there’s touch again. Huh? What I mean by this is there’s different implementations of the touch screen touch screen technology.
Apple
Apple have it right, spot on if you ask me. Touch simply works, it’s “touch” sensitive, you don’t need to press hard, use your nail, use a stylus, simply put it, it’s the best touch screens I’ve seen to date. Okay but I want to move the cursor up or down, or scroll the page? So I need a joystick / joypad or a scroll wheel don’t I? No! If the touch implementation is really good then you just tap on the screen to move the cursor, or flick the screen in a direction to have it scroll. Double tap to highlight a word (like you would double click on a PC).
Blackberry
Blackberry have long had both the trackball and the scroll wheel. The scroll wheel is used to read email quickly (scroll up or down). And the trackball, er, basically did the same thing. Blackberry really don’t have touch on most of their devices so they need a scroll wheel and trackball.
Android
A lot of android devices, more so HTC are coming now with trackballs, but they also have touch. The problem is the touch screen implementation isn’t as good as say Apples, so they still feel they have to supplement it with an alternative (or just feel the need/urge to do so).
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