This is a cost saving measure with a good PR component to it. Its expensive to comply with requests and uses up important resources. By taking the technical ability out of the equation for getting into the device itself Apple is saving itself time money and resources and looking good to the public for doing so with no legal damages.
This does not actually fully protect any ones data though. Government has full access to the cell phone companies that can with warrant provide location information including dates and times, SMS information, and can still monitor any un-encrypted traffic from a users phone. At worst Apple is providing a false sense of security to individuals that do not understand the other part of the equation, which is the Cell Phone companies and the Interweb can monitor and log stuff. But I do believe Apple that iMessage, FaceTime and the device itself is not intentionally open for spying on. But what about the other apps. Whatapp, and Blackberry messenger and Skype and all the other apps that sends data to 3rd parties. None of that is protected. But Apple only ever talks about itself not 3rd party. Take a iPhone and use only Apple software on it you will probably have the best protection in the industry for consumers. But its limited to that.
END OF REPLY -------------------------------------
----Start of slightly off topic but still on topic rant -----
Apples business model isn't based on data either. So when they say they don't scan your emails to profit from it I believe them. They are probably the only major ecosystem that does not need to do that. Yahoo Mail, Outlook (hotmail) mail, Gmail all have business models that provide a free service in exchange for your information. Its rooted into how they make money. Apple makes money from the sale of Hardware and direct cost services.
At the end of the day anything NOT in your head is exposed and a potential security risk. Even writing something on paper creates something to be discovered. Not putting thoughts into a tangible readable and accessible form is the first line of personal security. Followed by absolute control of what ever you do put those thoughts onto. Paper, paper goes in pocket. Paper is burned when no longer needed.
Computer, no wifi, no blue-tooth, no always on connection in your physical possession is as secure as you will get with encryption in case you lose physical possession. A smart phone can reach this level of security but defeats all of the abilities it which makes it a smart phone. You can disable data and wifi and use the phone only as a phone but at that point why do you even bother owning it.
As the CEO of Google once said, if its something that can hurt you don't do it. In this case don't make a record of it. Dont take pictures, dont text about it, don't use a calender to plan it out. Keep it in your head. No one ever takes responsibility for there own stupidity when it comes to security. Go back to a book and pen if you are worried. But that can be seized and read if arrested.
Technology used right can offer better protection then ever before.
The real problem is the ownership of the physical lines that interconnect everything. The high cost and the limited right of way access prevents duplication of physical networks leaving one company in ownership thus control and this is a monopoly. This is why most North American cities (Canada and the United States) have one cable company and one phone company in each region. Services from competitors and small companies just access, use and resell from the single company in the region. In BC for Example you have Shaw and Telus. Bell, Videotron, Rogers rents access over the Telus Network in most cases.
What is really needed is to separate the physical network form the service provider. We need a Provincially and State owned network or county or city owned networks with one mandate only. Provide a physical network and charge a price to maintain and grow it. owners of homes and businesses and other buildings would pay for the last mile connection to the network and own that last mile connection. Companies like Bell, Rogers, and dozens upon dozens of small companies offering service be it phone or internet or TV can plug hardware into the network and provide such services. Both the consumer and the ISP pay a network access fee that pays for the network. But this puts every one on equal footing because its the same fee. the physical network can't throttle or control or manipulate any of the content. Would be easy for small companies to expand by adding hardware into data center locations all over the network. Would allow consumers to buy and plug in equipment to allow for point to point VPN connections between family members at a fair price.
It is the only way to solve this issue. I would suggest the same be done with the Cell Phone networks. The Cities and Provinces and States own the towers using all the frequencies and they charge a access fee to the subscriber and phone provider to manage and expand the network. Any company could start up a cell service and compete head to head. As long as the core infrastructure is owned by one entity that has its own motives on how to use it, it will always be a monopoly situation and thats bad for business and consumers and innovation. Take the expensive part out of the puzzle and make it a public owned resource let the ISP and companies fight for customers on equal footing.
This does not actually fully protect any ones data though. Government has full access to the cell phone companies that can with warrant provide location information including dates and times, SMS information, and can still monitor any un-encrypted traffic from a users phone. At worst Apple is providing a false sense of security to individuals that do not understand the other part of the equation, which is the Cell Phone companies and the Interweb can monitor and log stuff. But I do believe Apple that iMessage, FaceTime and the device itself is not intentionally open for spying on. But what about the other apps. Whatapp, and Blackberry messenger and Skype and all the other apps that sends data to 3rd parties. None of that is protected. But Apple only ever talks about itself not 3rd party. Take a iPhone and use only Apple software on it you will probably have the best protection in the industry for consumers. But its limited to that.
END OF REPLY -------------------------------------
----Start of slightly off topic but still on topic rant -----
Apples business model isn't based on data either. So when they say they don't scan your emails to profit from it I believe them. They are probably the only major ecosystem that does not need to do that. Yahoo Mail, Outlook (hotmail) mail, Gmail all have business models that provide a free service in exchange for your information. Its rooted into how they make money. Apple makes money from the sale of Hardware and direct cost services.
At the end of the day anything NOT in your head is exposed and a potential security risk. Even writing something on paper creates something to be discovered. Not putting thoughts into a tangible readable and accessible form is the first line of personal security. Followed by absolute control of what ever you do put those thoughts onto. Paper, paper goes in pocket. Paper is burned when no longer needed.
Computer, no wifi, no blue-tooth, no always on connection in your physical possession is as secure as you will get with encryption in case you lose physical possession. A smart phone can reach this level of security but defeats all of the abilities it which makes it a smart phone. You can disable data and wifi and use the phone only as a phone but at that point why do you even bother owning it.
As the CEO of Google once said, if its something that can hurt you don't do it. In this case don't make a record of it. Dont take pictures, dont text about it, don't use a calender to plan it out. Keep it in your head. No one ever takes responsibility for there own stupidity when it comes to security. Go back to a book and pen if you are worried. But that can be seized and read if arrested.
Technology used right can offer better protection then ever before.