I have hurt my nose before with a hardcover book. Clearly, those things should never be printed. That's supposed to be the reason to go for one or the other - nap-friendliness? People are becoming ridiculously spoiled.
I must have missed the part where he stated that 10" tablets should never get made.
I believe a more likely comparison would be why does Publisher A, who only prints hardcover, complain/mock/denounce the thought of Publisher B offering paperback as an option?