I don't know how Apple's servers security fares now, but I took a quick look 4 years ago and it was notoriously bad. They were responsive and solved the exploitable bugs soon after I notified them. No bounties though.
If their software and network security is similar now.. then they should spend resources there rather than care too much about modified hardware by a governmental agency.
An issue at very large companies like Apple is that while they can be superb in one area or in one core product does not translate into being adept in other areas under different teams with different management styles, demands budgets, etc.
So unless Apple are going to put their best and poach other industry bests, their result will likely not deliver on premise or promise.
Judging by their rhetoric and their recent win (can it be called that?), there is certainly widespread interest in them locking themselves down. They would look a little foolish if not.
My comment just meant that I needed 1 hour to find a way to get a shell in a couple of their servers. That is more worrisome to me than the NSA snooping around. And I'm not a great pentester, I probably wouldn't find a bug in Google even if I spent a couple weeks.
If their software and network security is similar now.. then they should spend resources there rather than care too much about modified hardware by a governmental agency.