Can't imagine touchscreens going away until (and unless) we somehow get technology that's even more sophisticated.
Hate to bring out the clichéd Steve Jobs example, but I think it applies: as Jobs explained in 2007, touchscreens are generally superior to hardware buttons because you can change the interface to suit the task at hand. You don't waste space with keys that you only occasionally need.
Part of the original poster's problem is... well, the Galaxy S III. It's not all that comfortable to hold, it's harder to reach the corners of the screen, and the software arguably hurts Android as much as it helps. The initial experience would be much better with an iPhone, a Moto X or another device that provides a much gentler introduction to touchscreen interfaces.