Most phones shipped with USB a to USB c, that is not supported by many new devices. You need a USB c to USB C. If I pay over $800 dollars for something, I really shouldn't be wondering if I can properly get it to charge.
Also, at what speed is it going to charge? If it charges slower with your old charger that you got from your last phone... Then you should supply the one that provides the speed I paid $800 dollars for.
This was why even Microsoft ships a new Xbox with a Controller, even though you can use your old controller with it.
Edit: That said, there has to be cut offs somewhere about features not being supplied, it's not cut and dry
This is for the cheaper AirPods and the iPhone. Unlikely that they will not ship a cable with a phone. The article is just clickbait to make it seem like it’s for all the devices.
Many people don't know usb-c cable is universal, and apple only advertises chargeing iphone with macbook and ipad charger.
I imagine most of these people use an iPhone, and they will certainly waste their money on an "Apple cable".
Plus many of these tech-illiterate people are likely on a lighting iPhone with a barrel jack Windows, they won't even know they need a new charging cable until they realize their old lighting cables don't work.
And USB-C cables aren't universal, I imagine a bunch of the cables you have can't handle the higher voltage charging Macbooks have. But if your cable is capable of a higher standard, it'll work fine with anything below it (e.g. I use my Macbook Pro charger to charge my Android phone, keyboard, and mouse all the time).