The U.K. seeks unrestricted access to every iPhone globally.

      In 2016, the FBI asked Apple to provide backdoor access to iOS, but the company declined, with CEO Tim Cook delivering the definitive “No.” In 2021, Apple even filed a lawsuit against an Australian firm that unlocked an iPhone for the same federal law enforcement agency.

      Currently, Apple faces another pivotal security challenge that could jeopardize its iPhone business and the privacy of users worldwide. According to The Washington Post, the British government has mandated that Apple grant them "blanket" access to the encrypted data stored by iPhone users on iCloud.

      “Security officials in the United Kingdom have insisted that Apple develop a backdoor for them to access all content uploaded to the cloud by any Apple user globally,” the report states.

      At the heart of this discussion is Advanced Data Protection, a new feature launched in 2022 that enables users to safeguard their iCloud information with end-to-end encryption. As a result, even Apple cannot view this data, with access granted solely to the user after identity verification. Encrypted content on Apple’s cloud storage encompasses photos, notes, reminders, messages, bookmarks, and voice memos, among others.

      The order reportedly originates from the Home Secretary’s office and cites the U.K. Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) of 2016, which empowers law enforcement agencies to pressure companies into compliance. Known colloquially as the Snooper’s Charter, the IPA permits the government to "collect and store information about everything people do and say online," according to the Digital Freedom Fund. Importantly, a bill that expanded the IPA’s powers was passed in the UK and became law in April of the previous year.

      Liberty, a well-known civil liberties organization, asserts that the IPA enables the government to "hack into our phones and computers and compile extensive 'personal datasets' on us." The organization is currently involved in a legal challenge against the IPA's provisions in the country.

      According to The Post, the IPA is so opaque that disclosing a government demand under this order is considered a criminal act. In 2024, Apple contested another request linked to the IPA, denouncing it as an “unprecedented overreach by the government.” At that time, Apple threatened to withdraw services like iMessage and FaceTime from the UK market rather than compromise on security issues.

      Regarding the most recent directive from the British government, Apple has the option to appeal; however, under local laws, the company cannot postpone compliance. A particularly concerning aspect is that if Apple concedes to the request, it would be prohibited from notifying users about the compromised security of iPhones.

      Apple cannot even alert iPhone users. “One individual familiar with the situation, a consultant advising the U.S. on encryption, stated that Apple would be forbidden from informing its users that its top-tier encryption no longer offered complete security,” the report suggests.

      The potential repercussions could be severe. The UK government is not merely requesting access to the data of its local iPhone users, but also to those in other nations worldwide. Furthermore, if a democratic country like the UK can secure such approval, more authoritarian regimes will likely seek similar access from Apple. This concern arises amid rising China-linked hacking incidents that have alarmed the U.S. government, prompting officials to enhance their digital security vigilance, including adopting encrypted software.