I guess some people prefer elegant, efficient, decentralized, protocol level solutions over centralized or semi centralized 3rd party fee ridden fragile rube goldberg machine looking solutions.

Mimblewimble/confidential transactions/coinjoin is interesting tech and is a real threat to single feature, one trick pony coins whom we won't mention. I haven't looked too deep into it but i know It's a pretty long ways off so your coin is safe for now icey. However, I don't know how you're "going to be able to keep up with Bitcoin innovations" if you can't throw together an official GUI wallet in under 2.5 years, Just saying.