Apple sues YouTuber Jon Prosser over iOS 26 leaks, alleges theft of trade secrets

Apple has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against prominent tech YouTuber Jon Prosser, accusing him of misappropriating trade secrets, violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and profiting from stolen confidential materials related to unreleased iOS software.

The lawsuit, first reported by MacRumors, outlines a detailed account of how Apple says Prosser obtained early access to iOS 19 (publicly released as iOS 26), including a reconstructed Camera app and design elements later revealed as part of the “Liquid Glass” interface overhaul.

Though some details shared by Prosser differed from the final version, Apple says the leaked material was directionally accurate and obtained illegally.

According to the filing, the chain of events began in April, when Apple was tipped off that Michael Ramacciotti, another named defendant, had accessed a Development iPhone belonging to Apple employee Ethan Lipnik.

While staying at Lipnik’s home, Ramacciotti allegedly tracked his location, obtained his passcode, and broke into the unsecured device.

In an audio message cited in the filing, Ramacciotti claimed that he video-called Prosser and demonstrated unreleased iOS 19 features using Lipnik’s Development iPhone.

The lawsuit states that Prosser proposed the scheme and promised to find a way for Ramacciotti to be compensated.

Prosser allegedly recorded the call using screen capture tools and later shared the footage with third parties and on his monetized YouTube channel.

Apple claims the video even revealed Lipnik’s apartment, allowing others to identify the breach. Though Lipnik was fired, the company stated that he was unaware of the incident until others informed him.

The lawsuit emphasizes Apple’s strict confidentiality protocols and warns that Prosser may still possess unannounced and unreleased information from the Development iPhone.

Apple is seeking a jury trial and is asking the court for:

• Full damages and punitive penalties for willful trade secret theft

• Injunctions to prevent further use or disclosure of Apple’s proprietary materials

• An order to return or destroy any confidential materials still in the defendants’ possession

• Reimbursement of legal fees and interest on damages

If successful, the case could set a precedent in how tech companies pursue legal action against digital content creators accused of leaking proprietary information.