IMO the main issue is how far the government can lawfully push a third party to help with an ongoing investigation.<p>Putting aside the technical issues for a minute, let&#x27;s say everyone agrees Apple ought to help the US government&#x27;s investigation of the San Bernideno terrorism case. Fine, and Apple might want to help, but how does their desire to help weigh against the hassle and expense of creating a new build of the OS every time something bad happens? Will it eventually get to a point where every impounded phone, of which I have to believe there are millions, can have a warrant issued and Apple has to help get the data out? They&#x27;d have to set up an entire department just to comply with the FBI&#x27;s requests. At the scale of global law enforcement, it doesn&#x27;t look so unreasonable that this ongoing nusiance will cost a ton of money and impair their ability to operate for their shareholders.<p>There&#x27;s the encryption stuff, and how we have a right to privacy, but the real question is just how far a company has to go when the government asks for help with an investigation.