Dude reverse-engineers Airport Express - steals secret encryption key from ROM. Other dudes use this illegal acquired key to make an app that replicates the function of the original device & submit that to the AppStore of exact that vendor of the device. Somehow it gets thru, now they yank it & anyone really wonders about it?
It's not illegal. For precendent, see Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc. from 2004. Basically, the DMCA does not protect encryption designed purely for vendor lock-in. The Wikipedia has a good overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexmark_Int%27l_v._Static_Cont...
Edit: And more broadly, reverse engineering is not a crime.
one could discuss if this encryption is for vendor lock in or for preventing someone from dumping the raw-data stream of DRM'emd material. remember the time the airport expresses and airplay for music came to market all music files in the store had fairplay DRM.
and while it might not be illegal in all countries, it's clearly against apples terms of use.
