Non free firmware is a huge ongoing problem for me. I am posting this from a laptop that has some major failings because of the lack of updated firmware.
Slightly apart from the main issue here I would suggest that there is an opportunity for communication with some of the parties that matter most. Producing media that shows how much happier customers are with products that have freely available firmware with updates might convince some manufacturers to change their ways. If it were clear that power users would direct purchasing for whole organizations based in part on availability of firmware then there would be a clear profit motive for doing that. At this time makers see providing firmware as an expense and a risk that only diminishes their position.