After months of Apple fighting the DOJ and FBI by refusing to cooperate in unlocking iPhones from the San Bernardino terrorists and a drug dealer case in New York, it was refreshing to hear that Apple would do their best to help a Florida family unlock their lost son's iPhone. Though technically and according to a new ABC report, "Apple will analyze the recovered iPhone that may hold the key to what happened last summer when two Florida teens disappeared on a boating trip, according to an agreement reached by the teens' parents in court today.

The recovered iPhone belonged to 14-year-old Austin Stephanos, who went missing while on a boat trip with Perry Cohen, also 14, in July. The Coast Guard led an eight-day search in the Atlantic, covering 50,000 nautical miles. The boys' bodies were never found.

But Austin's iPhone was on board when the boys' boat was recovered last month about 100 miles off the coast of Bermuda.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission gave the recovered iPhone to Austin's father, Blu Stephanos, but Perry's mother, Pam Cohen, took the issue to court, fighting to hand the phone over to experts.

At today's emergency hearing, an attorney for the Stephanos family said, "Apple has already agreed to take in the phone" and analyze it for answers.

ABC news reports that "The phone will be sent to Apple to be analyzed and all evidence will be sealed and sent back to court, according to the agreement reached this afternoon. Apple declined to comment," or clarify what was meant by the term "analyze."

When setting up a user's password in a new iPhone, Apple should provide a simple form to fill out that would allow Apple to provide parents, loved ones or guardians with their password in the event of death or being missing more than 72 hours. This case and the one with the Italian father weeks ago are real heartbreakers and Apple should provide customers with a solid solution that would make these cases be something of the past. It's bad PR when distraught families can't get help in accessing their loved one's iPhone - and blaming the parents for not having the password is simply a cop out. For now, Apple is stepping up to the plate to help this family and that's great news. We can only hope that "analyze" will mean unlocking it - but history to date puts that into question. 

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