As everyone doubtless knows, Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted (http://www.apple.com/customer-letter/) saying the company will oppose an order from the U.S. government to unlock a shooter’s iPhone. Now the “New York Times” reports (http://tinyurl.com/hrcwkkl) that Cupertino, California-based company had asked the FBI to make its court application under seal, meaning that the legal arguments could be heard in private.
However, the FBI chose instead to make it a public battle prompting Cook to “go into bunker mode,” the article adds. After December’s San Bernardino attack, Apple worked with the F.B.I. to gather data that had been backed up to the cloud from a work iPhone issued to one of the assailants, according to court filings. When investigators also wanted unspecified information on the phone that had not been backed up, the judge this week granted the order requiring Apple to create a special tool to help investigators more easily crack the phone’s passcode and get into the device.
That’s where Apple drew the line. The “Times” says the company is likely to take the battle all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.