I would add one item to the list of requirements: as I walk around and engage in other movements, objects should not flop around uncomfortably or jiggle around and make noise more than necessary.

That is a big advantage of locating pockets near the hips. First of all, as you walk your hips stay in a relatively fixed position, whereas your knees move back and forth a lot. So items nearer the knees are swung back and forth a lot more. Also, close to the waist where the cloth fits more tightly. Looser cloth closer to the knee tends to swing back and forth because there is more slack which allows it to do so.

Unfortunately, I don't know way to solve this and solve the problems that they have solved like accessibility when you're sitting down. Maybe you could stick pockets near the hip but on the side of the body instead of front or back. But those pockets would have to bend a whole lot.