My first exposure to Tarot was through a card app that I knew my friend used, which she said was always very good to her. This was recent for me, last month (since then I bought some real cards). But during a huge upset in my life, I had used that app to ask a question and it showed me the Tower for the first card position which was "what's going on". My questions were depicted with stunning accuracy.
So, I definitely think it's the symbolic act of choosing cards, not the medium in which you do it. However I do feel more of a connection and authenticity to the real cards after having used them. I am a computer professional in my daily life, so digital vs physical has rarely been an issue for me. I still use, and enjoy that app.
Edit: The app I use is Galaxy Tarot Pro, same as danielnogo. This is probably the best app I have used, as I tried a couple. However I also downloaded a forum member's app, Uni Tarot, and it is just as nice, and offers even more decks to choose from. The great thing is they let you shuffle the cards and choose them individually, rather than relying on a shuffling and auto-spread routine; which a few apps I used tried, and those readings were nonsense. Also, they both boast very good card definition/interpretation libraries. I like Galaxy Tarots because it also includes relevant text from Waite's Pictorial Guide. (In small chunks, his writing is actually understandable!)