In 2012, noglider wrote:
The AW hub annoys me with its gears so far apart.
Well, there is a three-speed trade-off: shorter steps = narrower total range. The AW step size compromise seems to have been standardized with the K-series hubs just after WWI, and has been used on three-speed hubs by Sturmey, Fitchel&Sachs/Sachs/SRAM and Shimano pretty much ever since.
Sturmey did build some 3-speed hubs with smaller steps (and narrower overall ranges) back in the golden age of IGH. Smaller step (and narrower total range) Sturmey AM hubs are not uncommon on eBay if you've got a jones for that sort of thing.