I hate to be skeptical, but my opinion is that this is something APC HAD to do. As I see it, it is good marketing, and may help them maintain a foothold against the giants. One can only hope that their response represents true integrity.
Interestingly enough, they did call Tom's out with this comment - "As for exposing the center terminal, since the impedance of the circuit is maintained, the issue is one of RF ingress which in typical indoor situations, would have be quite substantial to cause interference." I've done lots of do-it-yourself things over the years including a Heathkit TV: exposing the center conductor is not unheard of, and my experience matches what APC states. Interference in such cases, is not significant. What would have been worse in analog days is a tin connector that tarnishes. My experience is that there was, again in analog days, interference caused in such situations.