Apple accuses YouTube influencer of illegally leaking iOS 26
July 19 (UPI) -- YouTube influencer Jon Prosser allegedly violated Apple's intellectual property rights by illegally accessing and releasing trade secrets regarding the tech firm's iOS 26 operating system before its launch.
Prosser and co-defendant Michael Ramacciotti allegedly misappropriated trade secrets and violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Apple says in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for Northern California.
Apple revealed its iOS 26 operating system on June 9 during its Worldwide Developers Conference but says Prosser released important details two months earlier.
Prosser's YouTube channel, "Front Page Tech," commonly predicts tech launches of consumer goods, including popular Apple products.
Apple says he and Ramacciotti schemed to "break into an Apple development iPhone, steal Apple's trade secrets and profit from the theft," Wired reported on Friday.
"Prosser, working with defendant Michael Ramacciotti, improperly accessed and disclosed Apple's highly confidential, unreleased software designs, including details regarding the unreleased iOS 19 operating system, which is now known as iOS 26, for Apple mobile devices," Apple says in the lawsuit.
Apple accuses the pair of conspiring to break into Apple employee Ethan Lipnik's development iPhone to obtain Apple's trade secrets. Lipnik worked for Apple from 2023 to 2025, when he was terminated by Apple over the leak, Business Insider reported.
The tech firm says it received an anonymous tip on April 4 that accuses either Prosser or Ramacciotti, who shared housing with Lipnik, of engaging the Apple employee in a FaceTime call that discussed the pending iOS 26 release.
The unreleased operating system at the time was known as iOS 19 among Apple employees.
The anonymous tip says Prosser obtained details on the unreleased operating system's lock screen, home screen, app animations and app interfaces.
It also says Prosser had video from the FaceTime call that shows the operating system's unique interface.
Apple claims Prosser learned Ramacciotti needed money and roomed with Lipnik, who worked on the unreleased operating system.
Prosser and Ramacciotti "jointly planned to access Apple's confidential and trade secret information through Mr. Lipnik's Apple-owned development iPhone," Apple says.
The tech firm also says Lipnik provided it with an audio message from Ramacciotti that alleges he used location tracking to learn when Lipnik would be gone for an extended period.
Apple says the message indicates Ramacciotti acquired Lipnik's passcode and "broke into his development iPhone," which Lipnik did not properly secure in accordance with company policy.
"As he detailed in the audio message, Mr. Ramacciotti made a video call to Mr. Prosser and 'showed [the] iOS' on the development iPhone," Apple claims.
"He demonstrated several features and applications, disclosing details of the unreleased iOS 19 operating system," Apple says.
Prosser denies Apple's claims against him.
"This is not how the situation played out on my end," Prosser said in an X post on Thursday.
"I did not 'plot' to access anyone's phone," Prosser continued. "I did not have any passwords. I was unaware of how the information was obtained."
Prosser said he is "looking forward to speaking with Apple on this."
Apple says it suffered financial losses exceeding $5,000 over a one-year period and seeks monetary and punitive damages in amounts to be proven at trial, plus interest.
It also seeks injunctive relief to cease Prosser and Ramacciotti's alleged release of Apple's trade secrets to third parties without written consent and to return or help Apple to locate and destroy any trade secrets that might remain under their control.
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