It bugs me that what most people don't realize is, is that memory costs money. If these cards were all to have been offered at launch, the price of each would have been much greater than it is now. Seriously, how many 59s do you think they sold after the 251 came out? Not nearly as many as could have been sold had they chosen not to release the 251.
They are releasing the 1019 now because it is affordable enough to do it now.
And don't trying writing off what third parties have been doing. They may have been offering them from the get go, but they haven't been reliable. Nintendo won't by cheap goods to make their products, and this is why it has taken so long.