LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THESE DAYS, PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TURN THE ARGUMENT ABOUT UNLOCKING THE TERRORIST’S IPHONE INTO A POLITICAL BATTLE

The whole issue about unlocking the terrorist’s iPhone is being portrayed as a political dispute over privacy versus law enforcement, but that isn’t how I’m looking at it.  I don’t think I have an opinion on whether or not Apple could be ordered to give the government existing information that would allow the government to unlock the terrorist’s iPhone.  That isn’t the question, as I understand it.  The question is whether or not a court can order Apple to take affirmative steps to create access to the terrorist’s iPhone for the use of the government.  Apple would have to produce not existing information, but a newly created engineering solution.  Am I wrong about that?
If I’m right about that, then what law permits a court to order a private company to produce  something new for the government’s benefit?  Am I missing something?