Apple has filed a lawsuit against a former employee for leaking confidential information, including details about unreleased products, from his work-issued iPhone. The complaint, filed in a California court, alleges that the former software engineer shared information about projects such as Apple's Journal app and the Vision Pro with media outlets and employees at other tech companies over a five-year period.
According to Apple, the leaks were discovered in late 2023, and the employee, Andrew Aude, denied his involvement before attempting to delete evidence from his device. Despite his efforts, Apple was able to retrieve screenshots of his communications saved on his work iPhone.
An analysis of Aude's work iPhone revealed over 1,400 encrypted communications with a Wall Street Journal journalist and more than 10,000 text messages sent to a journalist at The Information. The leaked information led to the publication of multiple news reports, impacting Apple's ability to surprise and delight customers with new offerings.
The lawsuit alleges that Aude admitted to violating his obligations to Apple in order to undermine products and features he disagreed with. Apple terminated Aude's employment but considers him an ongoing threat due to his knowledge of confidential information and history of unauthorized disclosures.
Apple is seeking a jury trial, damages, and an order preventing Aude from disclosing the company's confidential information without consent. The tech giant also aims to recover discretionary bonuses and restricted stock units awarded to Aude during his tenure.
Apple has not provided further comment on the matter at this time.
