I could always change the switch so that it worked on relative mouse inputs (which might resolve the issue), but then I'd have to physical press each button to change the inputs – which defeats the purpose of having a switch like this in the first place.

Have a $30 printer from 2004? Whack some ink in it and clean the head and it'll probably work with just fine with Windows (even if the manufacturer hasn't released an update for 15 years).

It very much seems like Apple is content to make the coveted design piece but couldn't give two craps about whether anyone can use them. The form over function approach used to be compelling when they had ambitious design goals in mind, like 8-hour battery life back when everything else could only muster 3 hours before you had to reach for the charger or gorgeous display panels that can fit all your code at once.

Unfortunately for Apple, PC manufacturers have managed to beat that target and have made some compelling machines that are smaller, lighter and more useful (I use a GPD Win as my 'Portable' machine and an ASUS Zenbook as a slightly more capable semi-mobile workstation and I'm honestly impressed by them both).

It isn't so much a matter of everyone scrambling to catch up with Apple as it is now Apple scrambling to catch up with the rest of the world. Or at least it would be, if their pride wasn't firmly entrenched smack dab in the middle of the way forward.

Truly, a sad state of "Innovation"
Quaid J. Leckey