Just adding further details as this topic has popped up again.
In my OP at the top I mentioned system prefs (now) has a functional ‘applications’ panel, which has been blank for as long as I can remember in rolling.
This issue was mentioned on the forums in 2022 May, after Gnome42 & it was later explained to be an Arch bug that requires you install the malcontent package to fix it.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t seen that info, so my system has been without the apps panel ever since. It didn’t seem that important & I assumed it would eventually be fixed in an update.
malcontent is provided with the newer 2023 ISO, but seems like it hasn’t been in the rolling updates.
Obviously, some things may slip through or maybe there is another reason. Im just mentioning it because this sort of disparity is very difficult for less capable/proactive users to fix themselves.
It leads me to the feeling that, inevitably, a user of my level will need to reinstall the system with each new ISO
Some people seem to side with the view that you need to accept Manjaro is rolling & needs added maintenance effort, but others say its a well-curated rolling that does that for you. I sense a struggle of wills befitting a great superhero movie!
This is just my observation & maybe it is useful, or not.