I can't wait for communities! I have nothing against circle voting, because it's natural like you've said. We always tend to help out our friends or the people we know. While it might be harder for new users because of that, it's just the way we operate since the beginning.
I think that communities will skyrocket not only the popularity but also the price. I've been waiting for this update to happen for a long time now!
I think it's the only piece that steemit is currently missing.