If they're sitting on research that tells them this, that may be part of the reason they do it. A built-in rescue lifeboat or whatever. But it's not on any of the other notebooks. Including the ones that say "Pro" in their name and go for $1,299-1,499. Right now the lineup is an unholy mess. I'm looking forward to this time next year when everything that needs to be in place is in place. Maybe the Intel stuff has been phased out and the only Mac you can buy next May has some version of AS powering it. And then we all know what M-based Macs look like, and which has what specs/features. We're just in that middle transition period..."how much more 'pro' are they going to make the other MacBook Pro models?", etc.
Nobody knows much right now.
I don't know if this stuff is coming at WWDC or later in the fall, but we'll get a solid idea what they consider "important" soon enough. And, no matter which route they go, it's gonna be a squawkfest. For 2-3 days.
Always is. So they're used to it.
And customers/users adapt (hey!) and move on.