One more comment on this subject. I attempted to take a fitting off the new style hose today. One of the parts that screws into the hose (similar to the "old" design) is a left hand thread and was VERY hard to break free. I was twisting the entire hose to the point where I thought I might damage the hose. Consistent strong pressure finally got it to move. The new cover presses up into a recess in the fitting, when screwed on, creating the tight fit.
BTW, as others have mentioned, this hose is way more flexible than the old style. The plastic in the hose appears a bit thinner, so I'm not sure about long term durability. However, for now, it seems like a nice upgrade.