Answers to your questions about Apple and security
"Law enforcement agents around the country have already said they have hundreds of iPhones they want Apple to unlock if the FBI wins this case. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks. "<p>Actually - the master key, the backdoor, already exists.
The master key is Apple's ability to sign a new version of IOS, and update the software on a locked phone.<p>The Federal government isn't asking Apple to create a backdoor. Their asking apple to use the backdoor that already exists.