If the receiving device knows how to decrypt an encrypted message (so the other human can read) suggests Apple knows the decryption algorithm. I think Apple and others are using this case as a PR campaign to solidify their customer base. All our IT giants provide complete access to Chinese, Russian and few other governments already.
Wow, you're so wrong. Why do people comment when they have no clue?
The receiving device knows how to decrypt an encrypted message WITH THE PASSCODE.
The passcode is the KEY to unlocking the encryption. You're not just typing in a passcode, and then decrypting the phone the same way every time.
As a very, very simple example, suppose there were 10 possible passwords 0-9, and my encrypted string was 'butterfly'...
A '0' encrypts the string frog to 'butterfly'
A '1' encrypts the string frog to 'utterflyb'
A '2' encrypts the string frog to 'tterflybu'
A '3' encrypts the string frog to 'terflybut'
A '4' encrypts the string frog to 'erflybutt'
A '5' encrypts the string frog to 'rflybutte'
A '6' encrypts the string frog to 'flybutter'
A '7' encrypts the string frog to 'lybutterf'
A '8' encrypts the string frog to 'ybutterfl'
A '9' encrypts the string frog to 'butterfly'
To know what the message is, you need to know the passcode, not just the encryption method.
Imagine a MUCH more complex algorithm than simply moving letters a certain number of places over - something that makes it indecipherable except in one case, where you get the right number. Then have many more possibilities. Then make sure you only have 10 tries.
