Honestly, I think the only thing we disagree on is Apple making this decision consciously as if it was a sensible technical decision.
They literally wouldn't know how to do better with audio hardware themselves, so they use what's available like everyone else. They couldn't afford AptX HD yet, but they bought into AptX on Macs, so I think your confidence that weren't even tempted should be shaky. Bluetooth is a strong market.
It's a contentious issue that Apple want people to ignore until they tell you to pay attention, so we can pretend it was all part of their plan.
Meanwhile, LG are placing AptX HD into their new line of assistant Bluetooth speakers and the list of brands coming on board grows, Huawei, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Asus, Google, Fiio and Audio Technica. Just another feature to market, yes, but also taking advantage of industry leading hardware that Apple don't have... Yet?
Will they be the last to bring actual CD quality to Bluetooth, whatever form that takes? Quite possibly, but they'll play it cool whenever it happens which is why we don't see their contracts in negotiation.
Apple came up with Retina display as a term, but they didn't invent the screens that have them, they just wanted the last word. Now all screens are retina displays and Apple have most convinced they are the leaders in design.
How are they going to be leaders of design here, by just not participating until lossless is ubiquitous? When no one is using lossy for anything audio, how will they look if they've done nothing and are still using AAC then? They'll just switch when no one uses the terms lossy or lossless any more and hope nobody noticed.
Because money.
