"Competing" in this sense is delivering similar user experience (battery life, performance, seamless hardware interactions) that Apple is achieving through their top-to-bottom control of the hardware and software.
It's not enough to show off Intel/AMD SoCs and call that good when the other components and software force subpar UX.
As far as performance, MacOS has been slower than both Windows and Linux on the same hardware for as long as I can remember. I see no reason why both operating systems won't achieve better utilization of these upcoming systems than Apple does with their M1.
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=macos101...
The M1 operates in a unique and valuable space right now, but the claim that it will be effectively impossible for the rest of the industry to move into that space doesn't hold water.