iOS is filled with UI junk at this point. Not having a consistent way to go back is the least of my problems when attempting to use my wife's iPhone.

It is the most obvious though, having to tap right at the top left (usually) of the screen for the most frequently used action is incomprehensible.

I dabbled a bit with iOS. I'm a long time Android fan, and I was curious, so I gave it a shot. And you're absolutely right. Even if you've come to expect backwards navigation to be in the top left, how the hell is that convenient? Assuming a right-handed individual, that means you have to stretch all the way up there or bring your left hand into play. And if you're left-handed, you still need to reach all the way up at the top of the screen. It's baffling. But we'll have people here defending it, for some unknown reason. Probably because they're used to it. Just like I'm not used to it as an Android guy so I find it repulsive. But I can also back it up with just the constraints of the human hand.

For what it's worth, I don't have the navigation bar at the bottom. I just use gestures, so anywhere I swipe off screen to on screen, it's considered a back gesture. Which, once you get used to it, you cannot go back. Well, you can. By swiping. ;}