Apple Sues YouTuber Jon Prosser Over Alleged iOS 26 Trade Secret Theft

Apple has filed a significant lawsuit in US federal court for the Northern District of California, accusing prominent YouTuber Jon Prosser of orchestrating a scheme to “break into an Apple development iPhone, steal Apple’s trade secrets, and profit from the theft.” The tech giant alleges that Prosser, known for his YouTube channel Front Page Tech, conspired with others to obtain and disseminate details of the then-unreleased iOS 26 software.

According to the complaint, Prosser, along with co-defendant Michael Ramacciotti, allegedly exploited an Apple employee, Ethan Lipnik, who had access to a developer iPhone running the confidential software. The suit claims Ramacciotti accessed Lipnik’s device while the employee was absent and shared the unreleased iOS 26 details with Prosser via video call. Prosser then reportedly used this information in videos posted on his YouTube channel, well in advance of Apple’s official announcements.

Prosser has vehemently denied the allegations, stating on X that the details provided to Apple are inaccurate. He maintains he had no knowledge of how the information was obtained and did not instruct anyone to acquire it. While Prosser does not deny revealing the information, which he highlighted in videos earlier this year as “the biggest iOS leak ever,” he disputes the circumstances of its acquisition.

The aftermath of the alleged leak has been severe for Apple employee Ethan Lipnik, who was terminated by the company for failing to adhere to Apple’s policies regarding confidential information. Analysts like Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy note the significance of the lawsuit, particularly given the disparity between Apple’s claims and Prosser’s denials. This case marks a rare instance of Apple pursuing legal action against a leaker within the US, leveraging domestic laws like the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Computer Fraud And Abuse Act.

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