Not sure if you're unaware, but the NYT editorial board formally endorsed Apple on February 18th:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/19/opinion/why-apple-is-right...
I don't see any reason for them to mix additional opinion into their news coverage.
I don't see any reason for them to mix additional opinion into their news coverage.
I believe expectations of what constitutes an opinion piece have changed with the advent of blogs/talk radio etc. At the Times, that style is reserved for columnists while the opinion pieces that express the opinion of the institution itself are more measured. In this case, they're just basically endorsing the judge's position.