u.s. prosecutors say monday third party present possible method open encrypt iphone use one san bernardino shooters development could bring abrupt end high-stakes legal showdown government apple inc aapl.o federal judge riverside california late monday agree government request postpone hear schedule tuesday fbi could try newly discover technique justice department say would update court april 5. government insist monday way access phone use rizwan farook one two killers december massacre san bernardino california except force apple write new software would disable password protection justice department last month obtain court order direct apple create software apple fight back argue order overreach government would undermine computer security everyone announcement monday unnamed third party present way break phone sunday two days hear weeks heat back-and-forth court file draw skepticism many tech community insist ways get phone purely technical perspective one fragile part government case claim apple help require unlock phone say matt blaze professor computer security expert university pennsylvania many technical community skeptical true especially give government considerable resources former prosecutors lawyers support apple say move suggest justice department fear would lose legal battle minimum would force admit try every way get phone statement justice department say interest always gain access information phone continue explore alternatives even litigation begin offer detail new technique except come non-governmental third party say cautiously optimistic would work ask court give us time explore option spokeswoman justice department melanie r. newman say solution work allow us search phone continue investigation terrorist attack kill 14 people wound 22 people would also likely end case without legal showdown many expect reach u.s. supreme court apple executive tell reporters press call company know nothing justice department possible method get phone government never give indication continue search solutions executive characterize justice department admission monday never stop pursue ways open phone sharp contrast insistence court file apple possess mean nate cardozo staff attorney electronic frontier foundation civil liberties group back apple say san bernardino case hand-chosen test case government establish authority access electronic information whatever mean necessary context say last-minute discovery possible solution cancellation hear suspicious suggest government might worry lose set bad precedent george washington university law professor orin kerr former justice department computer crime prosecutor say government likely postpone fight problem go away delay year two say apple say government successful get phone might involve take advantage previously undiscovered vulnerabilities hop officials would share information government drop case would obligation provide information apple oppose court order apple chief executive tim cook ally argue would unprecedented force company develop new product assist government investigation law enforcement agencies around world would rapidly demand similar service law enforcement officials lead federal bureau investigation director jam comey counter access phone devices crucial intelligence work criminal investigations government tech industry clash years similar issue congress unable pass legislation address impasse u.s. say may need apple open san bernardino iphone