F5 has been delivering both hardware AND software load-balancing since 2012. Also, F5 announced Aspen Mesh (a service mesh built on Istio): https://redtalks.live/2017/12/18/redtalks-live-23-aspen-mesh-w-shawn-wormke/

You’re article acknowledges pre-2012 architecture only. Happy to help you update it! Other than that, a great read. Thanks for your effort.