Can the Police get the iPhone Password from Apple

[Jim D.]

A friend of mine died a short time ago through an accidental OD. We believe someone gave (spiked) him with Fentanyl and it is now a police matter. They are being slow and saying his iPhone has a passcode and it is hard to get Apple to help them.

Is there a way for police to subpeona (or order) Apple for his phone/text messages?

- Jim

 

[Zigner]

A friend of mine died a short time ago through an accidental OD. We believe someone gave (spiked) him with Fentanyl and it is now a police matter. They are being slow and saying his iPhone has a passcode and it is hard to get Apple to help them.

Is there a way for police to subpeona (or order) Apple for his phone/text messages?

- Jim

The police know how to do such a thing...

 

[zddoodah]

Order? No. Subpoena? Maybe. Depends on whether the alleged crime happened in a state in which the company could be served with a subpoena.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

While Law Enforcement agencies had hacked iPhones there was a point in time that Apple said it wasn't withing the software for Apple to unlock them without it clearing the phone's data.

Customer Letter - FAQ - Apple

As recently as last March this seems to still be the case.

Can police unlock your phone? Stephanie Parze killing is a case study

 

[cbg]

Jim - this is not the first rodeo for either the police or the DA. They will know the circumstances under which it is possible to get a subpoena and they will know the processes to get it. It's neither your responsibility nor your concern. Let them do their jobs.

 

[mightymoose]

.
Is there a way for police to subpeona (or order) Apple for his phone/text messages?

No.

 

[flyingron]

Apple doesn't have his phone/text messages, but the phone company does and the police can very much issue a warrant to his carrier for such.

As for breaking into the phone itself, the police (if they have the warrant) have tools that get into the phone without Apple's help.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Apple doesn't have his phone/text messages, but the phone company does and the police can very much issue a warrant to his carrier for such.

Not if the texts were through iMessage.

 

[Zigner]

Not if the texts were through iMessage.

Which technically aren't "text messages"

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Which technically aren't "text messages"

But they are interchangeable when someone says "Text me." They both go through the texting app on the phone.

 

[Zigner]

But they are interchangeable when someone says "Text me." They both go through the texting app on the phone.

Oh, I know...I get it
With that said...if an actual SMS text message is sent, even if it's processed through the iMessage app on the phone itself, the phone company would (may) still have it.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Oh, I know...I get it
With that said...if an actual SMS text message is sent, even if it's processed through the iMessage app on the phone itself, the phone company would (may) still have it.

As I understand it, if the message is blue it never goes through the carrier unencrypted if at all.