If they were truly told to write an apology, then people are down on them because this isn't one. You cannot really apologise for anything without using the words 'sorry' or 'apologise'.

This is B2B. Corporations do not apologise to each other. They may pay each other compensation, if ordered to.

Apologies imply feelings, and corporations do not have feelings.

...but corporations are people, and people have feelings! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_personhood

I agree with you - but I've read in several places that Apple were ordered to apologise. Their feelings (or not) don't come into it.

[BTW - the linked text kind of implies that they do have feelings; the article comes off as surly, resentful and not a little childish...]

[EDIT: Seems like they were never actually ordered to apologise, only to clarify that Samsung did not, in the judgment of the court, infringe on anything.]

They may not have feelings, but they usually have more tact than this announcement displays.