I don't buy that argument, "a PC by any other name" is what made intel mac's somewhat uncompetitive when compared to the M-series laptops: which are currently dominating with total vertical integration of the OS and hardware.

Also: All things being equal, the lightening connector was technically superior to USB-C and arrived much earlier.. so it's somewhat on the same path.

USB-C succeeded due to a confluence of;

A) Being a standard people can get behind. (lightning was, of course, much more awkwardly licensed)

B) Lightning never got a sufficient uplift from USB-2.0 performance.

C) The EU eventually killed lightening through regulation.

It was, however, smaller, more durable and (as mentioned) earlier.

I'm totally not against our new USB-C everywhere situation w.r.t. phones, but if anything it reinforces the point: The technically superior thing being too proprietary caused its death (despite being early).