Ahead of Apple v FBI, US government files appeal in NY iPhone unlocking case

Move is part of a campaign to show that Apple has assisted law enforcement in dozens of similar cases, and is thus able to help the FBI gather evidence

The US government has appealed against a ruling by a New York magistrate who ordered that it cannot force Apple to unlock one of its iPhones as part of a drugs investigation in the city.

The move is part of a legal and public relations campaign by the Department of Justice to show that Apple has willingly assisted law enforcement in dozens of similar previous cases, and is therefore technically able to help gather evidence. Apple, claims the DoJ, has only recently begun arguing that it isn't legally required to do so.