What disappoints me even further since 2016, separate from the laptop regression is how badly Apple dropped the ball on the monitor side.
The previous gen Thunderbolt display doubled as a lovely hub for Ethernet/audio in&out/traditional USB ports/Firewire/Thunderbolt. Convenient way to restore all the usual ports to the svelte MBA, and bonus, all on a PCI bus (i.e. fast).
Enter the LG 5k: the panel itself is fine, but the enclosure is butt ugly, costs more, and has none of the above.[1]
It won't charge things when a laptop isn't connected.[2]
Years later, finally we got power and video on one cable...but the monitor is a 3rd party sub standard mess, and good luck if WiFi devices are nearby. [3]
[1] https://9to5mac.com/guides/thunderbolt-display/
[2] https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/reviews/HKN62B/A/lg-ultrafine-...
[3] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/apple-lg-5k-display-...