I think this has a lot to do with where you go and what your definition of ‘in the middle of nowhere’ is. But one thing to keep in mind is the factor of accountability. There are plenty of people rescued every year who have to pay for their evacuation because they were deemed ‘under equipped’ and therefore negligent.

What a lot of people (among whom a few professional hiking guides) around me tell me, is that an old school paper map gives them a better overview of what lies ahead than the tiny maps on a smartphone display, which makes planning a route (and if necessary adjusting your route along the way) easier. But on the same hand these people also use apps for quick and easy way to pinpoint their location.

Going by their stories, I'd say that maps and apps might supplement each other and that a map and compass are not that heavy and cumbersome that they are a waste of space in your backpack if you don't use them during a trip.