> Apple said the same rhetorical non-apology apologetically, recently... about something??

Entirely possible they were advised by the same crisis management firm like FGS Global or Brunswick Group.

There is a whole giant industry around pretending to be sorry effectively.

Yes!

There is a segment on Le Show (The Simpsons voice actor) just dedicated to the practice .. "Apologies of the Week":

https://www.wwno.org/le-show