The GAN coverage has caught my eye, though I've not had the opportunity to compare a GAN Class D amp to one made with conventional silicon.
As a Roon user, I am a bit concerned about the new ownership (Harmon/Samsung), though it's a far better development that than what Classé has gone through. Maybe Samsung will convince Spotify to work with Roon.
If a pattern has emerged, it's a renewed emphasis on value in much of the market, along with highly publicized development of extreme-priced gear for the extremely wealthy.
Another interesting pattern is that DSP is becoming available in more products, a good thing in my opinion. It can't do everything, but it's a good solution to some audio problems.