How is this different from a judge issued search warrant? The search warrant allows the police to bypass the person’s search and seizure rights.
I don’t think that they want to embed the software that overrides the encryption on all phones.
If the cops think I have evidence of a crime in my possession, they get a warant, they search my home. No problem.
Apple is not involved in a crime.
The criminal is dead.
The cops can search the criminal's home. No problem.
The cops are going to a major corporation and trying to force that corporation to perform an action.
Warrants are not used in that way. Until now.
Apple does not hold any documents for a search warrant to apply. This "All Writs Act" Court Order as more akin to the police showing up at your door, telling you they suspect YOUR neighbor has the bodies of murdered children in his backyard, but they cannot go through his house to get the backhoe in to dig it up because it's the suspected crime scene and cannot be disturbed, and because YOU once owned the next door property, YOU are going to have to do the digging.
And, oh, by-the-way, the only way to get the backhoe in to the neighbor's yard, is to smash right through YOUR house, the house you just spent five years building with your own sweat and hard work. You say "I don't want to! It's not my responsibility. . . that's gonna destroy my house!"
They say, "Here's a "All Writs Act" court order! We're gonna pay you a 'reasonable' hourly rate for your work. What are you complaining about! There's the backhoe! GET TO WORK!"