I do agree with what you’re saying on the magnetometers and the hardware.
I think from a hobbyist perspective the hardware situation is indeed very frustrating. AUAV-X2 was an excellent idea, but with too many hardware flaws, isn’t available anymore, and the successor is in the making since “years” and isn’t as nice for DIY as the original. The pixracer isn’t a substitute. Just try to get a replacement cable and you’ll have a huge hole in the pocket. The cube is a gem, and when I saw its price the first time I was actually surprised, a very attractive price for such a gemstone. Yet, clearly, beyond hobby pockets. The Drotek Pro thing, well, we don’t have to talk about that. Etc. pp. So, no satisfying option available.
However, I think one can ask whether AP is still for hobbyists and DIYers. I often feel like the last one. And one in fact can ask whether AP should still be for hobbyists and DIYers. I see good arguments for AP to not look too severely at this audience anymore. In some sense, it grew up and left it’s childhood. Not necessarily a bad thing.
IMHO that “explains” why you see a lot of activity on iNav but nearly no activity on pixhawk/pixracer on the forae - this is the hobby-DIY audience which you see there. $35 is more attractive than $130 to them (and me too btw).
The bottom line of these long-winded words:
I would think that deciding on the target audience would be fundamental for any marketing concept. One should avoid to be what in Bavaria is called a “Eier-legende Wollmilchsau” (have fun with translating this LOL), and I think that AP is probably better off not to also focus on the sub $100 AIO boards. I think a widely used, standard, proven platform with companion computer at good cost would be a much better target. (currently also the situation with those is IMHO most frustrating)
As regards the magnetometers, I fully agree with you. I don’t get it how such a thing ever could have come into place, and I don’t get it why they don’t listen to folks like you. I mean, it’s clearly not a lack of capability which is in action here, clearly not, so one only can conclude lack of interest. So, I think, we won’t see that improved substantially anytime soon.
BTW, I want to add this: Besides the mags, I actually find configuring AP quite easy and simple. I think the devs have done a great job here.
As regards the apps. I generally would agree that they could come with a more modern design, it just would make working with them feel better. However, a shiny Chrome app would not do anything better or different. I have now several times tried QGC, and each time my first reaction is “wau, this looks so cool, so this is just sooo much better”, but each time I find me going back to old-fashioned Mission Planner, irrespective of it’s winkles, because I’d like to this or that.
The bottom line:
Building a new app from scratch with all the capabilities and features which found their way into these “old” apps is an incredibly challenging task, and not easily achieved by a crowd funding or a paid model or whatever.
I think the efforts would be better spend on shiny web pages, shiny documentation and tutorials, shiny forum, shiny support, shiny marketing (this could make also the apps shine more).
I know that in the above I just argued to get rid of folks like me 
. But we are talking here about what’s of advantage for AP, right 
cheers,
Olli