I have no problem with the FBI wanting to see what was on this particular phone. It's their job. Even if there was likely very little of interest on the phone, it's
still their job. The incompetent action would have been to not even try.
Apple's job is to protect my data. That doesn't have to be their job, but they've chosen to build part of their brand on keeping my data safe. Even though they still have a ways to go, I appreciate their efforts.
Part of Apple's strategy to protect my data is to make sure only I have the key to access that data. That way, no one can access my data by hacking Apple's servers. (Again, Apple has a ways to go, but they're moving in the right direction.) This also means they can't access my data by presenting a court order to Apple. They'll have to bring the court order to me, if that's the route they're taking.
In the conflict between the government and Apple, the issue that concerns me is whether the government can force Apple to weaken its own security, which in turn weakens mine.
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Does there exist a version of iOS that has a "master key" feature? There is remote wipe in case of devices being lost, yes. But the point here is the government didn't want to wipe the phone, just access it without the password.
There is only one iOS -- if there is no "master password" feature you can exert over your own children's iPhone there is not going to be one for the government. That's what this whole legal battle has been about.
Here's the answer:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/it/
There is a "master password" that businesses and other groups can use to manage their company phones. The phone would have to be managed before giving it to the employee. You can't just manage a random phone that has already been protected by a passcode, unless the person unlocks the phone for you.
This whole legal battle was about something different. It's whether the government can force a company (like Apple) to implement a "master password" feature on all the devices that company sells, and provide that password to the government (or to use it at the government's request and provide the data to the government).
At one time, that's how the iPhone operated, but Apple began making changes several years back. They didn't need the data for their own use, so keeping the access wasn't to their benefit. And as they began working on features like HealthKit, HomeKit, and ApplePay, having a back-door into our phones became a liability.