I think his/her complaint about your complaint (uh oh. we broke it.) is that this would be the case for any USB config. If you had the same situation with current USB cables, you'd still need to get a hub so the problem isn't actually USB-C, just the number of devices you're using at the same time.
But but but the old MacBook Air had one MagSafe and two USB ports (and SD card and Thunderbolt), so it had strictly more ports, and I could charge it all at the same time (except now AirPods).
But yes, the problem is not USB-C per se, the problem is the small number of ports unless you pony up for the TouchPad model.
1 port to charge the computer,
1 port (with USB-C to lightning cable, $19) for the iPhone,
1 port (with USB-C to plain old USB dongle, $9) for the Apple Watch,
1 port (with USB-C to lightning cable, $19) for the AirPods
That makes 4 ports, and I have 2. Thus, hub it is.