As someone with both a usb-c and micro-usb phone, I can assure you that other connectors are not free of that problem. The micro-usb one definitely feels worse. Not sure about the old proprietary crap that used to be forced down our throats so we buy Apple AND Nokia chargers, and a new one for each model, too.
I don't know, it might be the case that my switch to USB-C phones somehow coincided with an increase in pocket lint but I've had two USB-C phones where the charging ports literally stopped working due to lint, and no micro USB ones have done that.
I don't know if this is a fair comparison, just an anecdote.
Who said money. Time and human effort are the most valuable commodities.
That time and effort wasted on consultants and lawyers could have been spent on more important problems or used to more efficiently solve the current one.
If I had to pick a connector that the world was forced to use forever due to some European technocrat, I would not have picked usb-c.
Hell, the ports on my MacBook are nearly shot just a few years in.
Plus GDPR has created more value for lawyers and consultants than it has for EU citizens.