I don't have any info on this except from other posts indicating that
addresses will continue to work, and that auto-bcc will not be eliminated after all. This suggests to me that we should be able to continue using Gmail the non-POP way.
As for whether Gmail will be synchronized in terms of inbox and deletions, I can't see how that would be possible if you continue forwarding. I'm not sure how the new integration system is going to work, and whether Gmail POP will permit this integration, but I plan to continue with the forwarding method in any event (at least for my Gmail)