[aback]

Fighting will probably impact the bottom line.

As in, improve it.

Tim Cook is probably more popular than Obama (and surely is WRT this issue.) Apple is about a thousand times more popular than the NSA and blessed with almost infinitely deep pockets and a very, very good marketing team.

Not to mention the fact that most of the people who use computers and phones don't even live in the USA.

[r00fus]

Unfortunately, the NSA/FBI likely have far more money than Apple, and if Apple spends too much, their shareholders can demand that leadership backs down.

Tim Cook is responsible to his BoD and shareholders.

[dahauns]

The NSA has an annual budget of ~10B, the FBI even less.

In comparison, Apple had a net income of ~50B in 2015.

Let that sink in for a moment.