I can only guess the reasons for this weren't the rational engineering-motivated ones.
I picture a meeting of a dozen folks, a powerpoint slide and statistics that show the two models (the four-USB-C version next to this "budget" single-port version). I picture a sort of an argument/pitch/"presentation" that suggests that a high percentage of folks -- consumers (or whatever they are called by marketing people) -- in the "Undecided" camp would lean to the more expensive version. Budgetary swing voters if you will who wouldn't accept a one-port world.
After that I picture some sort of final whitepaper (or whatever it's called), finally approved by someone in jeans who's higher up in the hierarchy of decision-making.
I picture a meeting of a dozen folks, a powerpoint slide and statistics that show the two models (the four-USB-C version next to this "budget" single-port version). I picture a sort of an argument/pitch/"presentation" that suggests that a high percentage of folks -- consumers (or whatever they are called by marketing people) -- in the "Undecided" camp would lean to the more expensive version. Budgetary swing voters if you will who wouldn't accept a one-port world.
After that I picture some sort of final whitepaper (or whatever it's called), finally approved by someone in jeans who's higher up in the hierarchy of decision-making.
Behold - the Apple Product Lifecycle <tm>