I understand your point. But I think too many people have already hosed down the idea of true backdoor features inbuilt for all phones to get around encryption.

I understand your point. But I think too many people have already hosed down the idea of true backdoor features inbuilt for all phones to get around encryption. It was raised previously, and smacked down by the majority, including from many voices within the government. I think honesty is the best option. Apple should say "yes, we can help this time, but we believe in privacy and security, so in future our phones will not be able to be cracked by this or any method". Apple gets to be the good guys for customers, AND help the FBI in this instance. Win win. In future, the FBI couldn't ask Apple anything because we all know their phones are unbreakable. But Apple have dug themselves a hole this time by refusing to go the full distance even though it's technically possible. Probably not the best move IMHO. I'm of course only presuming it's possible to make such an unbreakable phone in future.