FYI the interpretability standards passed recently were for the charging block. Every device has to charge from a usb c port so that’s why Apple switched.

Apple switched? Switched what? I'm not up to date :)

Apple are slowly migrating to solutions that feature USB-C at some level, even if they keep Lightning on the phone itself. That's because EU authorities have signalled that they know Apple are taking the mickey, and will continue making more stringent rules until Apple play ball. E.g. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58665809

They started giving you a USB C to lightning cable instead of the usual USB A

Lightning was shipped before USB-C was standardized, if I recall.

Sep 2012 for lightning shipped, and USB-C not ratified as a standard until Aug 2014.

Micro-USB was the standard back then. All phone manufacturers had custom proprietary (though most jack-based) connectors, but due to european regulations they all switched to micro-USB to comply with standards... all, except Apple of course who went another way.

Apple was not exactly unaware of these developments, as they have repeatedly signed the memorandums of understanding surrounding charger interoperability, according to wikipedia.

For what it's worth, Lightning is dramatically better than Micro-USB ever was, and IMHO it's still better than USB-C in terms of form factor (it's thinner, allowing for thinner ports, so thinner devices) but not compatibility (I have to have a bunch of C-to-lightning cables and a bunch of C-to-C cables).