The DOJ Cancels Their Genius Bar Appointment ⇥ nytimes.com

Katie Benner, New York Times:

The Justice Department said on Monday that it might no longer need Apple’s assistance to help open an iPhone used by a gunman in last year’s San Bernardino, Calif., mass shooting, leading to a postponement of a key hearing over the issue and potentially sidestepping what has become a bitter clash with the world’s most valuable company.

The turn of events came after the Justice Department said in a new court filing that as of Sunday, an outside party had demonstrated a way for the F.B.I. to possibly unlock the phone used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino attackers. The hearing in the contentious case — Apple has loudly opposed opening up the iPhone, citing privacy concerns and igniting a heated debate with the government — was originally scheduled for Tuesday.

After Apple basically made their opening statement at the top of today’s media event, the DOJ must have realized that should try a little harder to unlock the iPhone on their own.

Keep in mind that most tech companies would have — and many have — complied with the initial order with little resistance. Good on Apple for standing firm and refusing to capitulate. We are all more secure because of it.