Funny how nobody else seems to notice this. That key is there for a reason, and one of those reasons apparently is anti-competitive behavior.
Keys and other mechanisms like it are not usually used to increase customer service but to increase vendor lock-in and control of those users. It's all about creating a captive audience.
It is part of the DRM scheme. DRM requires end-to-end encryption to be effective. In this case it has nothing to do with a vendor lock-in. Using DRM is part of the deal with media partners and not Apple's decision.
Keys and other mechanisms like it are not usually used to increase customer service but to increase vendor lock-in and control of those users. It's all about creating a captive audience.