Apple Sues Leaker Jon Prosser Over Alleged iOS 26 Leak

Apple has sued YouTube personality Jon Prosser for allegedly leaking iOS 26 details. The suit claims Prosser schemed with a co-conspirator to access an Apple development iPhone, steal trade secrets, and profit from the theft. Prosser denies wrongdoing, but the leak led to the firing of an Apple employee who had access to the unreleased software.

In a significant move to protect its intellectual property, Apple Inc. has filed a lawsuit against YouTube personality Jon Prosser, alleging that he and a co-conspirator, Michael Ramacciotti, engaged in a scheme to access an Apple development iPhone and leak details of the unreleased iOS 26 operating system. The suit, filed in the US District Court of California, accuses the duo of misappropriating Apple's trade secrets and profiting from the theft [1].

According to the lawsuit, Prosser and Ramacciotti conspired to gain access to a development iPhone belonging to Ethan Lipnik, an Apple employee who was later terminated for failing to secure the unreleased software. Ramacciotti is alleged to have accessed Lipnik's phone using his passcode and shared the confidential information with Prosser, who used it to create several YouTube videos featuring leaked details of iOS 26 [2].

The leaked information included redesigns of the Camera app, Messages app, and the new "Liquid Glass" UI, which were later unveiled by Apple at WWDC in June 2025. Apple claims that the leak caused significant harm to its employees and the iOS platform, and that the development iPhone contained further confidential features that have not yet been disclosed [3].

Prosser has denied any wrongdoing, stating that he was unaware of how the information was obtained and that he did not plot to access anyone's phone. He has expressed willingness to discuss the matter with Apple [4]. In response to the lawsuit, Apple is seeking damages and a court order preventing Prosser from disclosing Apple's trade secrets again [5].

The lawsuit comes amid growing concerns about employee leaks and their impact on company morale and productivity. Meta Platforms Inc. recently issued a strong internal warning against employee leaks following repeated incidents [6]. Apple shares have fallen 13.87% year-to-date and are down 6.32% over the past 12 months, though they have shown steady upward momentum in the short and medium term [7].

References:
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/1m2s7ro/apple_sues_jon_prosser_over_ios_26_leaks/
[2] https://english.mathrubhumi.com/features/technology/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-analyst-michael-ramacciotti-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-conspiracy-lvm0apd3
[3] https://www.theverge.com/news/709550/apple-jon-prosser-lawsuit-michael-ramacciotti-ios-26-trade-secrets
[4] https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46487617/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-involving-secret-iphone-access-facetime-footage-and-trade-secrets-theft
[5] https://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/17/apple-sues-jon-prosser-ios-26-leaks/
[6] https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46487617/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-involving-secret-iphone-access-facetime-footage-and-trade-secrets-theft
[7] https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46487617/apple-sues-youtuber-jon-prosser-over-alleged-ios-26-leak-involving-secret-iphone-access-facetime-footage-and-trade-secrets-theft