I think Apple does stuff like this because a) they can get away with it and b) they know countless competitors who can't get away with it will blindly follow their shitty new design paradigm.

And yet, Microsoft is still doing their own thing. It's a shame they didn't follow through with, and / or the industry didn't follow along with, Windows Phone because it was a pretty unique design.

Google / Material Design also does their own thing still.