Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure, but lawfully downloading MacOS costs nothing as far as I'm aware. Same goes for Linux, albeit with different licensing considerations. I just found the wording of the article funny, since it seems to run contrary to their report.
Once again that is because you can only lawfully run MacOS on Apple Hardware. Read the EULA. Therefore if you have the hardware it is assumed you or someone paid Apple for it so the software was also indirectly bought with it.
The software is free (to download), it is not freely licensed though.