They're claiming that the new generation of skimmers is EVEN BETTER!
My motto is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it..." - I prefer to keep what works for my system, and stock up on spare parts during sales. I'm still running a 12-year-old PondMaster (MagDrive w/ an 18-foot cord) as my return pump. It's gone through 3 impellers, but it's a dependable relic.
If the SRO is what works for you, stick with it! As mentioned, we'll still offer parts and accessories for it, and the warranties are still intact regardless of production.