“‘Google has no ability to facilitate unlocking any device that has been protected with a PIN, Password, or fingerprint,’ Ludwig wrote. ‘This is the case whether or not the device is encrypted, and for all versions of Android.’
Law-enforcement accounts differ from Ludwig’s position. In a sweeping November report on encryption, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance wrote that Google can ‘reset the passcodes’ on some Android phones without full encryption, when served with a search warrant. ‘This process can be done by Google remotely and allows forensic examiners to view the contents of a device,’ according to the report.”
Source: What Apple’s FBI Standoff Says About Google’s Android Security | Re/code
