That's true, but as you said, Apple is very careful in phrasing their criticisms. Microsoft's flaws are drawn out from comparisons, not explicitly stated by Apple's guy (I don't know the actor's name). The viewer then makes the predetermined conclusion on "independently".

It's a crafty technique put to good use by Apple's marketing department. Whether it's something a small startup could use to put a dent in a market goliath, I'm not so sure.