Apple on encryption

Apple mobile devices—iPhones, iPads, iPods—are used everywhere. The US smartphone subscriber market share highest percentage is dominated by them. As an American company, they are bound to comply with U.S. laws and regulations. So, when the U.S. Justice Department requested that Apple grants access to a locked iPhone, Apple brought the case to court.

Apple Inc told a U.S. judge that accessing data stored on a locked iPhone would be “impossible” with devices using its latest operating system, but the company has the “technical ability” to help law enforcement unlock older phones.

— Reuters

Technically, new iPhones running iOS 8 or higher are impossible to crack open; older iPhones are no problem. The iPhone in the U.S. Justice Department request is an old one, and hence not a problem for Apple to unlock. Nevertheless, Apple is asking the judge not to budge.

“Forcing Apple to extract data in this case, absent clear legal authority to do so, could threaten the trust between Apple and its customers and substantially tarnish the Apple brand,” Apple’s lawyers wrote.

— Reuters

Kudos to Apple!