I mean, there are a lot of "ifs" in that article but I don't feel like discussing that out so I'm accepting that issue. Even if they were the inventors they were very reserved using it (apart from their new Thunderbolt ports) and in (tech) history the credit often doesn't go to those who created a thing, but to those who made it popular.
I mean, Apple went all in with USB-C in their 2016 MacBooks Pro. It was a very bold move and very early, and I'm sure it made USB C more popular as suddenly there was a need for USB C accessories. Apple always made moves like these. Removing the CD ROM drive, the Floppy disk etc. Everyone think of "lightning" in phones, but that was invented when there was only mini USB, and Apple wanted something smaller, and pluggable from whenever side (like USB C now). I don't think Apple kept using Lightning to be "different", but because its clients already have a lot of lightning stuff at this point (like me). I'm happy that Apple is moving (or forced to move) to USB C in their mobile phones, but just because at this point I have already USB C stuff. I'm glad they stuck with Lightning these last years. Anyway, I don't care, but there's just this meme that Apple wants to be different and create issues, but as a 15+ years Apple user after being a pc user from the early 90s I don't feel like this is true.
I mean, I kinda know these struggles from when I was sowly replacing my Micro USB stuff by USB C out of comfort. But that phase went by and now I'm happy to have a plug for almost everything... And Lightning always kept me from considering Apple products as I didn't want to have yet another plug.
I started with an Hackintosh, there wasn’t even Lightning back then. And nowadays with wireless charging you can as well never have a lightning cable at all. Anyway, good. You spared a lot of money. Once you try Apple there’s no going back. It’s like a drug. A beautiful addicting drug that makes your life better and your wallet emptier 🥲