Apple markets the iPad Pro as a general purpose computer, like a MacBook, where dual ended USB-C connectivity is taken for granted (in part due to Apple).

Given different roles and low numbers of iPad Pro's vs. iPhones, I don't think any cross over assumptions can be made.

> Apple could view an iPad Pro as needing USB-C ports

The iPad Air as well as the plain old iPad had also gotten standard USB C ports with zero restrictions before this particular conspiracy theory became popular.

The iPad is nice, so is MacOS. But the iPhone is the linchpin to Apple's strategy.

If the iPhone were to disappear tomorrow and Apple were banned from ever making phones, Apple's moat would most likely collapse.

If the iPad went away tomorrow, Apple would just lose billions or tens of billions of dollars in revenue and not much else would change.

This has been reported by multiple media outlets where some of them are known to be fairly reputable. You gotta understand that there's a good chance of this being genuine if a EU commissioner seriously reacted to, instead render it a "conspiracy theory" reflexively.

The outlets all echoed the same leak by one “supply chain specialist”.

None of them were from confirmed sources or even cross referenced.

As for a commissioner seriously reacting to it; your local police department is more professional when it comes to commenting on active investigations.

They mainly act like politicians that want to look though in crime. Vestager is a great example of how much PR the average commissioner is willing to utilize, even when they get wiped out of court.

Apple still hasn't denied or even commented on the matter, even though it could play a very significant role on future potential antitrust cases against Apple. Also, it's worth noting that Apple has a long and rich history of public campaigns against many of those "conspiracy theories" and this USB-C case is a rare exception.

Apple doesn't need to issue a denial for every conspiracy theory that rolls around. The fact that people are still bringing up a mere rumor as if it's true definitely lends credence to this being nothing more than a conspiracy theory.