They also utilize the universally adopted USB-C connector ... You can easily distinguish Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 cables and ports by looking for the small lightning bolt logo.

Regardless, Lightning is no longer a fast connector. If only Apple had a faster standard they could use. You're right, Thunderbolt 3 is frequently used by Apple, and at 40 gigabits per second ...

the greater the risk of signal degradation—invest in a Thunderbolt 4 cable for 2m data-strength confidence. Data transfer speed: iPhones with Lightning ports are limited to a slow USB 2.0 data ...

USB-C is a type of port, the shape of the connector, just like how USB-A is known for its big block shape and lightning for its tiny size. Thunderbolt 3 is how the connection functions ...