> but the deafening hype is slightly puzzling.

> With time, React Native could become for mobile what Qt is on the desktop -- and that's high praise in my books.

Sounds like maybe you're not so puzzled after all?

I'm not sure what you're hearing is hype. I think it's just excitement. Nobody is declaring this as The One True Way just yet, but a lot of people (you and I included, it seems) are cautiously optimistic that it could make mobile development a lot better.