this is 100% true!
XML import with advanced ability to trigger in-app-functions is absolutely necessary (e.g. create text-frames, assign text-, object & table-styles)! And of course scripting.
If you can't automate workflows with Affinity Publisher it's relatively useless tbh.
Also you need to separate your text styles and make them manually sortable. Style grouping needs to be improved! I'm talking templates with ~1000+ styles for complex science books.
Tables & Frames:
I can't find a way to anchor tables or frames into running text. This is also a must-have!
You need to cover those areas and improve in topics where InDesign is historically weak. Otherwise Affinity Publisher will just be a low budget tool for creating pamphlets. Make it suitable for bigger projects, listen to community feedback & you'll conquer the market