What you're describing is just smart business. Producing a desirable product that people choose to buy is not rent-seeking, it is the free market fulfilling a need/want at price people are willing to pay.
An example of rent-seeking however would be if Apple set up deals with schools and colleges to roll the cost of devices into their tuition, which is really mostly malinvestment paid with student loan debt. If the amount of student loans were to reach $1 trillion for example, the government might start talking about forgiving those loans or making them eligible for bankruptcy... if that happens, Apple doesn't have their profits clawed back, even though they actively contributed to the problem. That would be rent-seeking.
you didn't read the author's definition of rent, which was more technical than "rent-seeking". For example, if you self-publish an ebook for $49, nearly 100% of that would be considered rent by the author. Read his definition carefully.
My apologies, I got lost inside my own brain, as I often do. After re-reading I realize that I did not detect the tone of your commentary, so I respectfully withdraw any criticism of it. I still stand by my own statement however :)
An example of rent-seeking however would be if Apple set up deals with schools and colleges to roll the cost of devices into their tuition, which is really mostly malinvestment paid with student loan debt. If the amount of student loans were to reach $1 trillion for example, the government might start talking about forgiving those loans or making them eligible for bankruptcy... if that happens, Apple doesn't have their profits clawed back, even though they actively contributed to the problem. That would be rent-seeking.