You are misunderstanding.

> special hardware

Any iPhone, or any Mac device. The other vendors refusing to support HEIC and/or HDR image formats is their prerogative. Keep in mind that the Apple formats are just h.265 still frames, not some bizarre propriety standard!

> special workflow

I press the shutter button and send the result via iMessage. Is that some esoteric professional workflow?

Again, “web ready” means precisely: the lowest common denominator supported by browsers as far back as NetScape Navigator 4.

Apple decided not to limit themselves to 1990s era standards.

Google is content to remain hobbled.