Last week a judge in New York ruled that Apple did not have to unlock an iPhone belonging to a suspect in a drug case. This was a particularly important ruling especially when you consider that Apple is currently embroiled in a similar legal case with the FBI in which they are being ordered by another court to unlock the iPhone belonging to a terrorist.
This ruling in New York basically sets a precedent and could be used to further strengthen Apple’s claims. Unfortunately it seems that the US Department of Justice does not plan to allow Apple to use it as a precedent, and has since asked a higher-up judge to take a look at the case in hopes that the judge will overturn the ruling in the New York case.
For those unfamiliar with the situation, Apple was ordered to unlock the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorists. The FBI believes that there could be information on the phone that could potentially reveal other terrorist plans, but Apple has since claimed that they are unable to unlock the phone as the keys to the encryption lay with the owner of the device.
Apple has since been asked to design a piece of software which could then allow the FBI to access the device via backdoor means, but the company has refused to do so, claiming that this will set a dangerous precedent for the future. Many have since come out in support for Apple, such as various tech companies, and even the husband of one of the victims in the shooting.