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Looking at wikipedia, I'm stunned that there are no real technological advancements with the French press. I've seen the aeropress, and it's interesting, but why has the French press itself not changed?
To begin with, the plunger has multiple pieces, allowing grinds to get between them. What prevents the invention of a better press? (I can't imagine much of an improvement to the beaker, outside of using a plunger like the aeropress.)
What do you mean by improve? French press is one of the most popular brewing methods in the world, and rightly so: it's dead easy to operate and produces a great cup of coffee. The mechanism is very simple and easy to clean, a good french-press pot will last years if not decades, and if any part of it breaks it's cheap and easy to replace.
What improvements might you make in general? Control over the brew is probably the most important, and with French press is there really anything you could add? The plunger separates the grounds and the coffee very effectively in a good pot, so not much room for innovation there. The other main variables: grind and timing are beyond the scope of the actual pot. In terms of maintenance and ease of use, the pot is optimal already too.
One could argue that the Aeropress is an improved French press, since the brewing method is similar, especially if you use a metal filter. But it's more of a faff to use, doesn't scale so well (you can get 12-cup Cafetières), and tailored much more to the coffee enthusiast than the average person who just wants a cup of what the know and like.
TL;DR A cafetière is already optimal for making French press, there's no room for significant innovation, beyond inventing new ways to brew coffee.
