I've noticed this smartphone layout in comics before and I recognise the strengths but find it really less enjoyable to read. I have to be constantly scrolling and it's difficult to ever settle into a scene and feel it since they're gone in the blink of an eye. In regular pages that panel is still on the page and/or you can play with panel size and layout to create impact, but I just don't feel it with these scrolling comics.

That being said, I /do/ like the transition thing you mentioned.