Geeks eclipse courts as FBI tries to hack iPhone without Apple

Los Angeles/Washington/San Francisco: In a standoff with Apple Inc. over access to a terrorist’s smartphone, the federal government is favouring a technological workaround over a court clash it risked losing. Apple has vigorously opposed the government’s effort to force it to create software to undercut iPhone security features, saying doing so would threaten the privacy and data security of millions of iPhone users. Apple attorneys told reporters on a conference call that they have no information about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s new claim that it may be able to access the iPhone without the company’s help. New method The justice department won’t need Apple’s help in running tests and should know by 5 April whether the new method works, said a law enforcement official who asked not to be identified. Chief executive officer Tim Cook, at Apple’s product launch Monday announcing the release of a smaller iPhone, opened the event by wading into the political debate over privacy and encryption, saying “We believe strongly we have a responsibility to help you protect your data and your privacy.” Cook went on to introduce a new, smaller iPhone that will start at $399, seeking to jump-start sales of Apple’s flagship product by enticing more users to upgrade, especially in high- growth markets such as China and India.