HN is not an entity that says things, you're referring to specific people. Yeah, it is known that there are many supporting various despicable practices.
If you cared about doing the right thing instead of keeping score you would support this criticism of Google (and also criticize Apple and others).
The point of highlighting Apple's behaviour is not to discount Google's, or to prove an aggregate bias in HN's comments, but to put to light the fact that another corporation much respected for it's stance on privacy as a fundamental right does similar things. It helps in collating the big picture(which does indeed look bleak), which may get lost amidst voices criticising the behaviour of a single corporation.
But I think you're missing that Apple's encryption model protects user data from hostile servers (Secure Enclave). Google's encryption model... does not.
If you cared about doing the right thing instead of keeping score you would support this criticism of Google (and also criticize Apple and others).