Governments want access to spy on people. Apple wants to market and sell a “secure” mobile device.
In a way NSO provides apple with a perfect out. They can legally claim they are secure platform and do not work with bad actors or foreign governments to “spy”.
Hear no evil see no evil. NSO ability to penetrate iOS gives powerful governments what they want and in a way may keep “pressure” off Apple in providing official back door access.
If Apple truly secured the OS to the point where even state level actors could not access they bring some unwanted attention, regulation, etc from power governmental agencies.
Apple has also been interestingly silent /vague on a response to this story.