The apple part doesn't actually help, it just smells better/sounds cooler, yes? Hard to argue with something that works in any case.
Not sure if their is a real difference between other vinegars and ACV. I read about it on one of the forums, tried it out, and it works perfectly.
It even rejuvenates plastic. I have a 13 year old eclipse hood that was covered in buildup. I soaked it with ACV, scrubbed it, rinsed it, looks brand new. Only took about 7 minutes.
I use ACV on all my aquarium parts (filters, light fixtures, glass or plastic covers...).
Every once in awhile I wipe down the top edge on my tanks during a water change to remove the buildup.