This time last year the situation was exactly reversed. The KS6 Resound Product (Linx1 equivalent) was cheaper than the Rexton Trax 42. This year the Rexton Product (KS7) is cheaper than the Resound Product Cala 8).
I agree with you about the “Bluetooth by the next models” except for Phonak. The next time Costco gets the Phonak “last years” model - it will be based on the Phonak Belong platform - that still will not have Bluetooth. Phonak went this route because they say they surveyed some non-users who said they preferred the feature of re-chargeble lithion ion batteries over BT capability.