&gt; even if you install something open source you&#x27;re still trusting the hardware<p>Not for the encryption.  That&#x27;s done in software.  A seized linux laptop with an encrypted partition using a strong key is effectively snoop proof by the definition we&#x27;re using here.<p>It&#x27;s true that hardware could have other attack vectors: a key logger to intercept the pass phrase would be an obvious one.  But again, that&#x27;s just my point: Apple is in no privileged position here.  If they get compelled to backdoor the iPhone then <i>no amount of security architecture</i> along the lines you posit is going to help us, because they can just be compelled to defeat it.