I think Apple does get a benefit. Indirectly.
I don’t know if this is true, I have no way to verify this but
Even if Apple offers everyone to use the new nano-SIM design royalty free, the design they have has to be used with a tray (not a directly ejectable SIM) and I also read that Apple had patented or were patenting the SIM tray.
If the other companies propose little change to the current design but to add direct SIM insertion/removal without a tray is maybe because they fear Apple enforcing a royalty not on the nano SIM design itself but on the removable tray.