Android just became crap with official update (SD cards are disabled)

I can't believe this, but the latest update to Android KitKit (v4.4.2) prevents all 3rd-party apps from writing to the SD card!  This is not a joke:
community.sprint.com/baw/message/750451

I mean, WTF.  Google has removed one of the most heavily used features of an OS (writing data to external media).  And they explicitly prevent manufacturers from restoring this feature!  There is NO good reason for doing this, not in the name of "security" or any other short-sighted reason.  I know Google thinks SD cards are unnecessary (see Google Nexus stuff) but that's no reason to prevent other companies from offering such stuff.  The SD card slot has now become TOTALLY USELESS.  Android is now less functional than Windows Phone (in one important respect anyway).

Are they trying to drive people to Android phones that don't use the Google ecosystem, and thus don't have to put up with their ridiculous restrictions?  Cos I'm sure as hell not going to buy a phone with a limited amount of storage capacity.


It was bad enough when Google removed the ability of third-party apps to toggle Flight mode (it's really handy having an app put my phone into Flight mode overnight, so I don't get rudely awakened & also to save power).

UPDATE:
I am told that apps can still write to their own pre-defined 'sandbox' folders on the SD card.  If that's the case then it's not nearly so bad (and in fact is close to what I've been wanting Android to do for ages, albeit a bit more draconian than I'd have liked).

UPDATE:

But this will still mean I can't use OI File Manager - a really really good free file manager, and instead will have to use whatever crap is built into the phone.  That sucks.  Why the hell can't Google just add a (maybe new) Write-To-Whole-SD-Card-DANGEROUS permission?