Apple just got a few more days to present its legal arguments against a federal court order that it help the FBI unlock a terrorist’s iPhone.
Apple previously had until Tuesday Feb 23 to respond in court to a federal magistrate’s order that it must help the FBI break into the locked iPhone 5C that belonged to the dead San Bernardino shooter, Syed Farook.
But the company was granted a three-day extension until Friday, Feb. 26, to respond, according to a person familiar with the case.
Apple was ordered to create a weaker version of its operating system for this one device, and help the FBI crack Farook’s passcode.
Apple CEO Tim Cook argues that complying with order will hurt both the company and its customers by making all iPhones less secure. The government argues it needs to break into the phone to determine if any more ISIS-inspired terrorist plots are underway.
The decision was by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym. Apple could object to her order and take it to the federal district court judge overseeing the case. If it is not successful, it could then continue to appeal all the way to U.S. Supreme Court.
Other leading tech companies, including Google, Twitter and Facebook, have voiced support for Apple’s position. But it has been criticized by politicians ranging from Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump to Democratic U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein.
–CNNMoney’s Chris Isidore contributed to this report
