They didn't remove strain-relievers, they just moved to ones that look better but don't work as well. That they didn't remove the strain relievers entirely is p

They didn't remove strain-relievers, they just moved to ones that look better but don't work as well. That they didn't remove the strain relievers entirely is plainly clear by just looking at their cables. The lower durability from the change was a side-effect that they accepted (well ok, that Steve Jobs rammed through) for the aesthetic benefit, not the goal.