It’s a bit of a circular logic though, isn’t it? Apple can’t be first, therefore they aren’t first and the sensors are useless. Personally, I have no opinion on the technology, but Apple is actually commonly the first company to use some new technologies in mass-market devices.
What they usually do is find a small company with some compelling technology and then either fund it to gain exclusive or privileged access, or buy it outright. The story here (that a small company working on cutting edge sensors has close links with Apple) fits that pattern perfectly.