No they aren't.
Yep. Way more ways of getting things without spending gems.Looks like you forgot that the current situation of game is completely different than earlier.
No, not "If you look closely", but rather if you take a superficial look. The only thing on your list that anybody who didn't have overflowing gems would consider spending on is the trader.If you look closely you will find uses of gems in game is increased from trader, heroe skins, name change, new th's, buildings upgrades and much more ! So to compensate with that they slightly increased the sources of gems in game.
I don't mind if they increased the gems in gem box because there are already a lot of ways they can be utilised in game.
Thanks TerMinus Prime for the sig pic