As a whole, I think 240v receptacles, installed to serve equipment greater than 1440w, have always been allowed. In reality we don't have a clue what the user will plug in but the assumption was that it would be a 240v window shaker. If the garage or work shop is also part of a "dwelling", there are many possibilities where you would want 240v.
Realistically if this was installed in a kitchen to handle someone's European 2 KW tea kettle, it would still comply. The issue would be the plug on the kettle but that happens after we leave.
These days a lot of equipment has started using IEC C13/C14 connections for the power cord to equipment connection and they make cords with all sorts of plug caps on the source end. I had part numbers for C13 cords with 5-15, 6-15, various twist locks and a host of "World Trade" plug caps, even a couple pin and sleeve connectors.
Maybe that is what is driving this change. Off shore manufacturers may want to expand their markets.
