I like the current GUI just fine. It is simple to use and works fine for me. However when I look at the links above I found some pull requests for a new GUI from back in January. Why were these closed?
I am not one of the people referenced above for those pull requests but I think your guess is correct. My guess is that additional GUI updates will happen after the database work by cryptozoidberg and clintar is done.
I was wondering the same thing. Those GUI discussion happened long ago but seemed to be forgotten about earlier this year. If you are right then it sounds similar to the Monero situation. They don't want to spend time making a new GUI until their db release is complete either.