Java has always had the ability to reference Class types, and, to instantiate in...

Java has always had the ability to reference Class types, and, to instantiate instances of that type using a standard method:

Object makeOne (Class fooClass) { return fooClass.newInstance(); }

You are missing the point of a factory pattern, which is informed by the non-accidental pattern name: 'Factory'.

[edit: using generics it is even type safe]: <T> T makeOne (Class<T> clazz) { return clazz.newInstance(); }