Actually, apple seeds also contain minute traces of cyanide. As do pear seeds, but at a lower concentration. But, you’d have to eat LOTS of seeds to suffer any ill effects. The cyanide is released when the seed is cracked, but not if the seed is swallowed whole. As with a lot of things, it’s the dose that matters and eating a whole apple including the seeds isn’t likely to harm someone.
Some folks say that this tiny amount of cyanide may have a beneficial effect, maybe the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” might have had this in mind? Makes you wonder about the origin of the phrase.
There are larger amounts in the apricot pit, and the compounds in the pit were used to develop the alternative anti cancer drug called Laetrile. It was initially claimed to cure cancer, then later claimed to slow its progression. Whether or not it has anti-cancer properties is debatable, depending on who you talk to. But, that is a whole other discussion that I’m not going to get into.
I would imagine the bitter almond tastes that way because of the larger amounts of cyanide in it.