What the USB A connector did do which was new at the time was introduce a connector that did not have any protruding pins on either the male or female end, and thus theoretically at least could not be damaged by fucking up the insertion.

This is not true.

Some 80s computers had cassette player interfaces that practically looked like big USB connectors.

https://www.rarecomputers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/back-picture-c64.jpg