Better headline: "Apple May Close Privacy Vulnerability in iPhones".
I don't like Apple. I actually think that Apple is evil, but this is the Right Thing To Do (TM).
The fact that it makes cop's jobs more difficult is the SIDE-EFFECT of producing a better, more secure, and more private product. If 90% of all iPhone users were criminals that were using iPhone security as their primary means to avoid prosecution I might have a different opinion, but as it turns out most iPhone users are good people who deserve world-class privacy and security and if that means that it makes things a little more difficult for cops then Boo Hoo, cry me a river. If this stops even one slimy lazy jackboot cop from violating someone's rights on a digital fishing expedition then it's worth every ounce, even if it also means that a savvy criminal has to get caught via some other means.