As far as blood goes, the watcthower will remain firm on blood transfusions. They may not have a talk anymore but they still have Hospital Liaison Committees which remain very active and really have become the experts for the blood issue. They give presentations to doctors at hosptials about the blood stand and what alternative care is acceptable. In my area there is an HLC meeting this weekend. Blood is still very important, it is just handled now by and handful of elders in the area.
I don't think they will change their stance on apostates. Just my opinion but they have control of it now anyway. There is not some massive outflow of JWs due to apostacy. They lose more to being disfellowshipped for alcohol and sex than they ever do to apostacy. I don't really read into that article other than it was another boring watchtower study to have to sit through. Most JWs will not listen to apostates and that is the way they like it.