I think you've hit it with watching the adoption rate. It's not as if Microsoft or Apple or Google can force these features on to people. Web developers have to actually use them.
I fail to see how "monied interests" can affect much unless developers who are very much not part of these interests actually use these features. I think the way things are going (i.e., engines add features, developers use them or don't, the ones that get used get approved by de facto adoption, etc.) is perfect and fits the best with the pace at which things are moving in this industry.
I don't think, as many do, that it will lead to the proliferation of a bunch of confusing, bloated features being shoved into the spec (as loose as that word can be applied here). We haven't seen much of that yet, and I really don't think we will.
I fail to see how "monied interests" can affect much unless developers who are very much not part of these interests actually use these features. I think the way things are going (i.e., engines add features, developers use them or don't, the ones that get used get approved by de facto adoption, etc.) is perfect and fits the best with the pace at which things are moving in this industry.
I don't think, as many do, that it will lead to the proliferation of a bunch of confusing, bloated features being shoved into the spec (as loose as that word can be applied here). We haven't seen much of that yet, and I really don't think we will.