>How is that not worse or at least equivalent to a back door?

It's bad for the citizens of the UK and better for everyone else on the planet with an iPhone. UK citizens should be angry with their government, not Apple.

They’re just pulling the feature in the UK. If they put in a back door, they’re pulling the feature for everyone.

Much better than a false sense of security. Customers know what they get, and can choose other products instead of being confused or cheated.

It _is_ equivalent to a back door, that's the point. The UK demand can be accessed more rapidly and properly by disabling the feature than by implementing a backdoor, since it is the same thing.

Many departments use iphones. I wonder how it will affect government security or government employees will be exempt?

The UK requested the backdoor for all users, not just UK citizens.

No illusion of privacy.