You're really mischaracterizing the VLC case. It wasn't "a single open source contributor with an ideological conflict," but one of the lead contributors pointing out the incompatibility between the GPL and Apple Store ToS.[0]
By the way, VLC has been relicensed as MPL and is now available for iOS again.[1]
In at least one case it's because a single open source contributor with an ideological conflict with App Stores was able to get an app removed:
http://www.tuaw.com/2011/01/08/vlc-app-removed-from-app-stor...