Apple sues YouTuber over leaked details of unreleased iPhone update

By Blake Brittain

July 18 (Reuters) - Apple AAPL.O has sued YouTuber Jon Prosser and another man in California federal court for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to its upcoming iPhone operating system update and leaking them to the internet.

Apple said in the lawsuit filed on Thursday that Michael Ramacciotti used an Apple employee's phone to send details about the forthcoming iOS 26 to Prosser, who outlined the confidential updates in a video on his YouTube page Front Page Tech.

Prosser told Reuters on Friday that he "certainly did not 'plot' to steal information nor did I know how it was obtained originally." He said he looked forward to presenting his side of the case to the court.

Ramacciotti and a spokesperson for Front Page Tech did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the complaint on Friday. A spokesperson for Apple declined to comment.

Prosser first disclosed details of iOS 26, which Apple is set to release this fall, in a YouTube video in January. According to the complaint, Prosser convinced Ramacciotti — a product analyst and video editor who Apple said "needed money" — to break into his Apple employee friend's phone and send Prosser secret information about the new operating system.

Apple said that an anonymous whistleblower told the company about the scheme in April.

The company in its lawsuit requested an unspecified amount of monetary damages and a court order for Prosser and Ramacciotti to stop using its trade secrets.

The case is Apple Inc v. Ramacciotti, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:25-cv-06043.

For Apple: Richard Hung and Mary Prendergast of Morrison & Foerster

For Prosser and Ramacciotti: attorney information not yet available