Last year, there were eight smartphones that belonged to alleged terrorists that the French government could not get unlocked. This created a backlash in the country against phone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. We should point out that the one million Euro fine would apply to Google as well as Apple if the former fails to unlock an Android phone after being requested to do so by a French court.
In the case involving the Apple iPhone 5c used by San Bernardino Terrorist Syed Farook, the only way Apple can comply with the court order would be to build a new version of iOS. Dubbed "GovtOS by Apple, this new software would allow the phone to be unlocked by Apple. Another avenue that Apple could have used, backing up the phone to iCloud over Wi-Fi, would have yielded the information sought by the government. However, the San Bernardino Department of Health, the owner of the iPhone used by Farook, changed the Apple ID of the device at the behest of the FBI. Without the ID, Apple could not use this method to give the government what it wants.
"We are faced with a legal vacuum when it comes to data encryption, and it's blocking judicial investigations. Only money will force these extremely powerful companies like Apple and Google to comply. They are hiding behind a supposed privacy protection, but they're quick to make commercial use of personal data that they're collecting."-Yann GalutFrench Socialist MP
Last week, it was revealed that three days after the attack that left 14 dead, Apple turned over to the government parcels of information requested by law enforcement agencies.
source: TheLocal.fr via SlashGear
