Apple files lawsuit against YouTuber over alleged iOS 26 leak

Arab Times

a day ago

NEW YORK, July 19: Apple has taken legal action against prominent leaker Jon Prosser, accusing him of conspiring to break into an Apple development device and steal confidential trade secrets. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Prosser sought to profit from stolen information about the unreleased iOS 26 software.
Leaks have long been a common occurrence in the tech world, especially involving companies like Apple. Industry insiders and leakers such as Prosser and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman frequently share predictions about upcoming Apple products, often citing anonymous company sources. While these leaks have become routine, Apple is now pushing back more aggressively.
According to the complaint, Prosser, who runs the YouTube channel Front Page Tech, allegedly collaborated with a co-conspirator to gain access to an Apple employee's development iPhone running the unreleased iOS 26 software. The suit identifies the employee as Ethan Lipnik and states that another defendant, Michael Ramacciotti—who was reportedly staying at Lipnik's home—waited until Lipnik left before accessing the device. Ramacciotti then allegedly shared details of the unreleased software with Prosser via video call. Prosser is accused of using this early information in videos posted well before Apple's official announcements.
The lawsuit also claims that Ramacciotti stated Prosser orchestrated the entire plan, promising to find a way to compensate Ramacciotti for his involvement.
Prosser has publicly denied any wrongdoing and disputes the accuracy of the lawsuit's details. In a direct message, he told reporters, 'The details that Apple was given are just not accurate. I had no knowledge of how the info was obtained. He never told me he 'needed money' and I absolutely did not instruct him to act this out.'
While Prosser acknowledges that he shared the leaked information on his channel — including calling it 'the biggest iOS leak ever'—he rejects any involvement in how the information was procured.
The incident has had consequences within Apple. Ethan Lipnik, the employee whose device was allegedly accessed, was terminated for violating company policies protecting confidential information and unreleased software, according to the complaint.
Apple and Lipnik have not responded to requests for comment.
Tech analyst Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy described the lawsuit as 'quite significant,' noting a clear difference between Apple's allegations and Prosser's account, particularly as the employee involved appeared unaware of the leak.
Sag emphasized that the key issue lies in the inadequate protection of the development device and the need to verify the origin of leaked information before public dissemination. He added that Apple has stronger legal tools in the U.S. to combat leaks compared to previous incidents often traced to international manufacturing partners.
The complaint cites violations of the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, both enforceable in federal court.
Prosser said he only learned of the lawsuit through media reports. Expressing sympathy for Lipnik's firing, he stated, 'I wish he had shared with Apple what had occurred, and I wish that Apple would have connected with me for more answers—I would have gladly chatted with them.'