Noted leaker Jon Prosser shared an update with The Verge on October 21 about the current status of his ongoing legal battle with Apple. Prosser, if you recall, was sued by Apple this past July for leaking confidential information about upcoming iOS 26 features. Well before Apple unveiled iOS 26 at WWDC in June, Prosser on his YouTube channel revealed iOS 26’s Liquid Glass redesign, along with new system icons and updated UI controls.
Earlier this month, Apple filed a motion seeking a default judgment against Prosser. Apple’s motion claims that Prosser, despite being served this past summer, did not respond to its complaint by the legally required date. Apple further said that it made several efforts to ask Prosser if he was planning on responding to the complaint. The motion adds that Prosser failed to respond to any of Apple’s inquiries. Somewhat bizarrely, Prosser claims that he has been in contact with Apple.
“All I can tell you is that regardless of what is being reported, and regardless of what the court documents say — I have, in fact, been in active communications with Apple since the beginning stages of this case,” Prosser said in a statement. “The notion that I’m ignoring the case is incorrect. That’s all I am able to say.”
It’s a bit unclear what’s going on here. Does Prosser think his communications with Apple make responding to the company’s complaint unnecessary? Is Prosser perhaps communicating with individuals at Apple without Apple’s legal team being made aware of it? As of now, there are more questions than answers.
Why is Apple going after Prosser so aggressively?
You might be wondering: why is Apple going after Prosser so aggressively? It’s a fair question, because leaks about upcoming Apple hardware and software aren’t anything new. Indeed, the deluge of rumors about forthcoming Apple products is never-ending in the weeks and months ahead of a new product release. These days, it’s common to know the exact dimensions and specifications of new iPhone models far in advance of their official unveiling. What makes the Prosser case unique, however, is how the information was obtained.
Murky sources who leak product details gleaned from Apple’s vast supply chain is not a unique phenomenon. But Prosser, Apple’s complaint alleges, engaged in a “coordinated scheme to break into an Apple development iPhone.” Apple specifically details that Prosser and a co-defendant named Michael Ramacciotti made an effort to access an iPhone 17 prototype belonging to an Apple employee named Ethan Lipnik.
Apple’s complaint reads in part: “…While staying at Mr. Lipnik’s home, Mr Ramacciotti used location tracking to determine when Mr. Lipnik would be gone for an extended period, acquired his passcode, and broke into his Development iPhone, which Mr. Lipnik had failed to properly secure according to Apple’s policies. As he detailed in the audio message, Mr. Ramacciotti made a video call to Mr. Prosser and “showed iOS” on the Development iPhone.”
From there, Prosser was able to discern new features and UI elements that were part of the iOS 26 update. Apple also alleges that Prosser took screenshots and video of the unreleased operating system in action.
Apple claims Prosser was the mastermind
Apple claims that Prosser spearheaded the entire operation. This, coupled with the fact that the leak involved an actual Apple engineer, is why Apple opted to take this instance of a product leak incredibly seriously. As to Prosser being the mastermind behind the iOS 26 leaks, Apple’s complaint notes that Prosser “promised Mr. Ramacciotti compensation” for his help in accessing and copying proprietary information about iOS 26.
Additionally, Prosser allegedly instructed Ramacciotti to obtain the passcode to Lipnik’s unreleased iPhone for the sole purpose of obtaining confidential information which would then be part of a YouTube video whereupon Prosser would enjoy the accompanying ad revenue. In other words, Prosser’s iOS leaks were anything but typical. On the contrary, they involved an intricate scheme with a promise of monetary reward to improperly access confidential information on an iPhone prototype, Apple alleges.
As opposed to being a middle-man simply relaying information about upcoming software, Apple’s position is that Prosser proactively embarked on a mission to obtain trade secrets through more sinister means. In turn, Apple is suing Prosser for misappropriation of trade secrets under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA). Apple also relayed its intention to seek punitive damages at trial, labeling Prosser’s actions “willful and malicious.”
What is Jon Prosser’s defense?
Seeing as how Prosser hasn’t officially responded to Apple’s complaint, it’s not entirely clear what his legal defense will be. To date, the only comment Prosser made in the aftermath of Apple’s lawsuit was to deny the allegations. In a social media post from July, Prosser said that Apple’s telling of the story is incomplete. “This is not how the situation played out on my end,” Prosser said. “Luckily have receipts for that.”
Prosser also said that there was no “plot” to access anybody’s phone, and that he’s completely unaware of how access to the Apple employee’s phone was obtained. Prosser concluded his post by saying that he’s looking forward to speaking with Apple about the issue, which is somewhat ironic given that he is now being accused of failing to respond to Apple’s complaint.
Time will tell how this plays out, but it’s entirely plausible that the case will settle and that Prosser, as part of a negotiated settlement, will agree to stop posting about any Apple rumors. Recall that this is how Apple’s lawsuit with the now-defunct ThinkSecret.com website ended back in 2007.
