It is really surprising how much HN turns a blind eye to / lacks imagination for potential security issues just because it's Apple.

Well, actually it isn't surprising at all.

I'm inclined to reverse that. Whenever Apple tells the world about a way they're attempting to protect their users' privacy above and beyond what any other for-profit technology company of comparable size and scope has done, HN immediately tries to deconstruct it--which is by and large good, since we need to remember that no security model is perfect. But a small but vocal subset always demonstrates a remarkable level of imagination in presenting scenarios in which Apple can actively conspire against their users while remaining within the letter of their guarantee. I'm not positive this happens jut because it's Apple, but I have my suspicions.

You've got a lot of reasonable responses above.

I am certainly not "HN". If you want to argue/discuss, do so. I'm well aware that a "secure element" is never 100% unbreakable. But in the usecase the GP mentioned (government broadly gathers data), hiding the data in a separate hardware compartment will at least help.

I think it's just PR bullshit. Apple has been known to abuse the law. I'm sure some government gave them the green light to lie about this and have another backdoor.