> "they prioritized standardizing the connector but not the rest of the details"
In this case, "they" are the "USB Implementors Forum (USB-IF)" [1], rather than Apple. It's the USB-IF who agreed the standardisation of spec, but permitted the potential for "alternative mode".
Apple might have taken advantage of it, but it's the USB-IF who decided to make the standard rather more variable.
Perhaps in the scope of large scale manufacturing, having multiple (redundant) connector styles is a low hanging fruit for cost reduction.
But it seems that there would be increased user confusion and technical support required. Very strange.