Apple sues YouTuber Jon Prosser for allegedly stealing iOS 26 secrets

by · tom's guide

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Apple has taken well-known YouTuber Jon Prosser to court for the alleged theft of trade secrets regarding iOS 26.

According to the lawsuit, Prosser is accused of tasking another man, Michael Ramacciotti, with secretly accessing the iPhone of his friend Ethan Lipnik, a now-former Apple software engineer working on the new iOS.

This information, taken from this device, was then used to report on Apple’s planned changes for the then-unannounced iOS 26.

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(Image credit: screenshot: The Verge/Apple)

Apple reportedly learned about the leak from an anonymous email. In the email, it was stated that Prosser was supplied the information about iOS 19, the name given to iOS 26 at the time, by Lipnik.

The sender cites that they had seen a FaceTime call between "Prosser and Lipnik or a friend of Lipnik's where iOS 19 was demonstrated to Prosser." The email also reveals that Ramaciotti, as well as three other redacted names, are involved.

Apple states that Lipnik has shared a voice recording with Apple that had been sent to them by Ramaciotti, apologizing for breaking into the phone and claiming that the subterfuge was Prosser’s idea.

Lipnik does not appear on Apple's complaint, but has since been fired from Apple for failing to comply with the company's policy regarding securing sensitive information.

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Apple claims that Prosser offered Ramacciotti “money or a future job opportunity” in exchange for access to the information on the device. Allegedly, Ramacciotti learned Lipnik’s iPhone password and then, using location tracking to gauge when Lipnik would be away from the device, accessed the phone running the new software.

This software was then shown to Prosser over a video call, which was recorded, shared with others, and used to create renders of iOS 26’s new designs.

Prosser has several videos showcasing the reported renders

(Image credit: Apple)

Prosser has released several videos regarding the new iOS on both his Front Page Tech and Genius Bar podcast YouTube videos. These include a video in January 2025 titled “your very first look at iOS 19,” which revealed the new camera app redesign.

This was followed by another video in March that showcased the redesigned Messenger app and, in April, a video titled “the biggest iOS leak ever” that included details of Apple’s Liquid Glass design. These videos are all still available at the time of writing.

Prosser posted on X, in response to MacRumors coverage of the case, that Apple’s sequence of events is incorrect, stating that “This is not how the situation played out.”

Prosser goes on to state that he did not plot to “access anyone’s phone” and that he was “unaware of how the information was obtained,” but is looking forward to talking to Apple about the incident.

A follow-up comment on the post also includes a screenshot of a text message chain that appears to be between Prosser and Ramaciotti claiming that the material supplied was “legit.”

As it stands, Apple has asked for both damages as well as a court order that would prevent Prosser from being able to disclose trade secrets. While some might argue that iOS 26 has already been announced, Apple has stated that there are secrets still at risk as the development phone “contained other unannounced design elements.”

We'll keep you posted on any new developments in the case. In the meantime, here's a breakdown of all of the new iOS 26 features for your iPhone you can try once the public beta is available.

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Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer. 

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