Most people do what you say, but there are places where you don't have a stable internet connection, or people who like to keep their storage offline.
I don't mean to say that there are no alternatives to a fast cable, or that most people should use it. But it's a feature that comes with the cable, and there shouldn't be someone trying to cap it just for profit.
The controllers for the communication protocol probably cost something like 8 cents, Apple shouldn't screw their customers over that little cost. Even with a feature most people won't use, because it's nice knowing that you have the possibility to use it if you need to.