To be fair, basically every major corporation and most people do this. I can think of a half dozen Google examples just from my time there, and more than a few Facebook ones too.
1. How vehement their condemnation is (especially since, in retrospect, they're already busy working on exactly what they're condeming),
2. How quickly and comprehensively they flip the story when their version is ready and
3. How predictable this pattern is for them. Given past experience, I almost expect Apple to be working on actual toaster-fridges in a skunkworks project somewhere (in addition to the metaphorical ones I'm positive they're working on).
I understand why Apple uses mockery (better publicity, more memorable, firing up fans, etc.) but, at a minimum, Apple (and their defenders) should expect well-earned mockery in return, especially given their pattern of flips.
Heck, I can't remember the last time they had an ad or even a press release attacking a competitor. I guess the "I'm a Mac" ads were a type of attack ad, but even those were intentionally not mean-spirited, and that was years ago anyway. Their competitors are frequently much more confrontational in their ads.
You seem to be basing your view of them on a particular narrative which relies on assumptions about their motivation and character, i.e. "OK, maybe everybody does that stuff, but they do it for reasons that make them bad people!"
Why don't you say it counts?
Ive or Jobs rubbishing other design choices is precisely what we are talking about here.