Getting a bit off-topic, but if a file has versions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, then there are two diffs. Even if Apple submitted the two diffs, instead of one diff covering the difference between version 1.3 and 1.1, it is straight-forward to generate that diff. It is a pain if the number of diffs per file are different. So, it's a bit more work but scriptable.
With any modern source control system, the real merging work comes when there are conflicts. I suspect this as the source of friction rather than how the patches were submitted.
Anyway, I've heard that build engineers get paid the most in the software industry. It's a rather bland job, but very important.
EDIT: I followed the link in Stella's edited post. It definitely sounds like the problem was "conflicts" in the code base caused by Apple making bug fixes that were incompatible with how/what the open source community wanted. For those who aren't SW engineers, a conflict could be two possible lines like:
"a = CONSTANT;"
"average = CONSTANT;"
Both are correct variable assignments, but one team might prefer the shorter name and the other the longer name. You can't have both and the merging engineer must make a choice.