It would be more like ordering the Acme Safe Company to develop a method (currently non-existent) to crack open an Acme safe that the federal government believed contained evidence needed in an investigation.
The circumstances I read yesterday for this phone is that it was a 5C and that the three-try barrier was what is being discussed here. Not unlocking the entire phone.
What I read says that Apple can do this, depending on what version of iOS is involved. It would still be up to the FBI to finish the job of getting past the unlock code.
I am saying that I don’t have a problem with Apple removing the 3-try step (because the phone belongs to his employer and they have assented), but I am NOT in favor of making Apple give the FBI the ability to do this whenever they want. If you think differently, then fine. We’ll just have to disagree.