FBI chief: New phone encryption could cost lives

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI director is criticizing the decision by Apple and Google to encrypt smartphones data so it can be inaccessible to law enforcement with a court order.

James Comey told reporters at FBI headquarters that U.S. officials are in talks with the two companies. He accuses the companies of letting people put themselves beyond the law's reach.

He cited child kidnapping and terrorism cases as two examples of situations where quick access by authorities to cellphone data can save lives.

Apple and Google announced last week that their new operating systems will be encrypted, or rendered in code, by default. Law enforcement could still intercept conversations but might not be able to access call data, contacts, photos and email stored on the phone.