I was recently at my RV dealer picking up a couple of items for my Micro Minnie 2106DS, I noticed that the new MM trailers now have sliding windows instead of the windows with the crank mechanism.
Why the change, I quite like the windows in my trailer, the crank kind, especially if it is raining, as you do not have to worry about any rain getting into the trailer.
I agree, I stopped by my local home improvement store and was surprised to see just how much more expensive windows with the crank mechanism were when compared to sliders.
I would assume that since Winnebago Travel trailers use aluminum framing that the recent tariffs on Canadian Aluminum might very well be the motivation to cut costs.