Will we ever see a 17” MacBook again?
I doubt it. Generally 17” laptops are marketed to gamers which is not a Mac strong point (few AAA games on Metal).
I wanted a big screen so I got a 17” pavilion(i think) some years ago for my travel. I ended up calling it the SS Titanic. Besides having to get a specific extra large laptop carrying brief case to accommodate it, I probably have a curve in my spine from the shoulder strap always being on my right shoulder

. Except for highly specific use cases, stay with a 16 or better yet a 14. Get an external monitor for your desk, enjoy the substantially better portability.
As for Apple, the more models they spread across a product line, MacBooks, the less they become the company who keeps laser focused on doing a handful of products very well.