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Exactly. Plus, all backups of the iphones on icloud are already unencrypted, so half of the phones are already indirectly unlocked.

EDIT: backups are encrypted, but apple have the keys. See below.

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iCloud backups are 100% encrypted. Only some iTunes backups are not, and only if the option to use encryption to protect the backup is not selected.

They are, but apple have the keys : https://thehackernews.com/2016/01/apple-icloud-imessages.htm...

So basically, they could be in clear text, it's pretty much the same.

Please see this link[1], Apple explains exactly how keys are stored in their datacenters (Hint: it is not in clear text). They use HSM's which destroy the user's key after 10 failed attempts.

[1]: https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

This is only for Keychain escrow, device backups are not protected by HSM's.

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