Apple has not done &quot;this&quot; before.  Apple may have unlocked phones for older models (with less security), but with the upgrades to iOS for versions 5 and 6, this is a much different ask.<p>The FBI is hoping to have Apple develop a new iOS that does not automatically wipe the device after &lt;x&gt; invalid password attempts, then use their signing keys to push a deployment of that operating system onto this specific phone.<p>Nobody else has access to Apple&#x27;s signing keys, ergo nobody has the ability to do this on Apple&#x27;s behalf.