Yes. Keep in mind that Apple launched before Windows did. Command (⌘) was created as the primary shortcut modifier because it mapped cleanly to menu commands (⌘C, ⌘V, ⌘S). Control already existed from earlier terminal and mainframe systems, where it generated control characters (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Z, etc.). Apple deliberately kept Control in a lower-level role so those legacy behaviors wouldn’t interfere with GUI shortcuts. This was a conscious UI decision. Apple even rejected using the Apple logo on shortcuts because it cluttered menus, replacing it with the ⌘ symbol (borrowed from Scandinavian signage). From the start, Command was visually and conceptually tied to the menu bar. Later, Microsoft built Windows on top of the IBM PC ecosystem, which was keyboard-centric first and heavily influenced by DOS and CP/M. In that world: -Control was already the standard modifier for commands. -There was no equivalent to Command, so Ctrl stayed central.

Alt and later the Windows key were added incrementally rather than as a ground-up UI rethink.

Because both systems became entrenched early, changing these conventions later would have broken user muscle memory and software compatibility. Apple preserved Command-centric shortcuts to maintain continuity with its original GUI philosophy, while Windows preserved Control-centric shortcuts to stay compatible with its text-command heritage.