Part 3: Will IPC-2581 Replace Gerber
It will. But it takes time.
The Gerber format has been put in use since the 1980s and is still used by most OEMS, solution companies, and PCB/PCBA manufacturers. Gerber RS-274X is widely used and its current version was released in 2014. (Yes, it was updated ten years after the IPC DPMX standard launched.)
The electrical and electronics industries have already gotten used to Gerber. It takes time for people to try new things and give up the old things that can still be used. But Gerber files are basically graphic files, and you still need to provide so many extra files for PCB drilling and assembly.
Technologies and products develop so rapidly, and Gerber can't be the end. Currently, IPC 2581 is the trend, and it will take place of Gerber one day.