Apple, Google, and Microsoft all employ very many competent programmers. But they share the problem that they need to hire many more programmers than are both competent and eager to work for them, and so must make do for the rest. It is a much easier task to select a place to work with competent colleagues. Thus, there is no inconsistency.

Perfection is not needed. Ordinary good code suffices. Good code using modern C++, or current Rust, is easier than in older languages (among which count older C++). When bad code is extra work, it becomes an unattractive alternative even to the lazy, leaving its production mainly to the masochistic and the aggressively incompetent, who are often the same.