The only two reactions to this news seems to be cynicism and praise. I think both voices in response to Apple's letters are valid and useful for improving user security in the future, and yet incomplete by themselves.

Sure, Apple should be praised for refusing to give government agencies the ability to unlock an iPhone, but a significant part of their motivation is not altruistic. It's in Apple's self-interest to make a stand in this case, but we can't always trust corporations to prioritize customer privacy over caving to government pressure.

Similarly, Apple has already admitted that a backdoor exists for all iPhones. In my opinion, this is an inexcusable security hole at best, and at worst an implication that Apple intended at some point to comply with government requests for encrypted information. However, the fact that the FBI has made this request in the first place, and that Apple is in a position to decline (at least initially) and make it public, is a good sign that the three-letter agencies may not be as all-knowing as some may fear.