No, they could have made the device actually secure without losing any ability to take a cut from app distribution. Later iOS versions do it (although it seems

No, they could have made the device actually secure without losing any ability to take a cut from app distribution. Later iOS versions do it (although it seems to be unsettled weather a backdoor is still possible in those versions). The iOS version in question has a very obvious backdoor, which Apple is understandably getting really defensive about and doesn't want that fact made obvious.