Apple’s security theater is the pillar of their anticompetitive behaviors. The only users it helps are noobs who will just install whatever. If some serious actor wants your data, the theater doesn’t deter them, as evidenced by this Pegasus. If China wants your data, Apple will hand it over themselves.

It’s all a “think of the children” race-to-the-bottum where rent-seekers abuse fear and sycophanty to monopolize critical infrastructure.

Targeted attacks from nation states aren't in the average person's threat model, though it's definitely one Apple tries (and fails) to tackle.

But Apple's security measures definitely help against virtually anything else. Over-zealous police and border patrol. Script kiddies. General spyware and malware.

I think you're forgetting how bad mobile security was before both Apple and Google started adding these hardening measures to their flagship devices. You really couldn't trust your phone at all. Now, you somewhat can.