Prediction: This thread will get a lot of posts
Analysis: The net effect of the changes are ambiguous.
Positive: If you do a lot of short hops (500 mile minimum back, and backdated!), redeem only in US (unchanged award levels), and either don't upgrade with miles, or upgrade only from Y/B.
If you're an elite booked in Y/B you mostly get a complimentary upgrade request, so the lack of copay is meaningless here.
Negative: If you use miles to upgrade on long haul flights booked into economy classes with moderate restrictions, significant copay now required.
Award redemption: Some significant increases. The Australia - NZ bargains (20K in Y, 30K in C) that used to exist are gone (35K in Y, 50K in C). Some significant (20% greater) increases in other places too.