Apple is suing Jon Prosser, a famous tech leaker and content producer, claiming that he deliberately attempted to exploit a third party to have unauthorized access to a development version of iOS 26.
Apple argued in their lawsuit that Prosser paid Michael Ramacciotti to gain access to a development iPhone that Apple software developer Ethan Lipnik was using in order to gather sensitive information.
Apparently, Ramacciotti accessed the iPhone, was having live video dialogue with Prosser, who filmed the session, as well as used location tracking to figure out when Lipnik would be absent from home.
According to Apple, Prosser utilized this footage to produce design renders and video content for aspects of iOS 26 that had not yet been revealed. Ramacciotti was purportedly promised cash or a potential employment opportunity in exchange.
According to reports, Apple learned about the hack in April 2025 through an anonymous email. The sender said they recognized Lipnik’s flat after seeing Prosser’s video. Additionally, Apple quotes a voice memo in which Ramacciotti apologized to Lipnik and named Prosser as the scheme’s mastermind.
Lipnik was fired for not properly safeguarding confidential information, despite the fact that he refused to share the material himself.
A number of videos were posted on YouTube channels of content producer Prosser, Front Page Tech and the Genius Bar Podcast, exposing iOS 26 capabilities that were once thought to be for iOS 19. These included early looks at Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language in April, an improved Messages interface in March, and a revamped Camera app in January.
“That is not how the situation played out on my end,” Prosser said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, refuting Apple’s account of what happened. He denied any role in obtaining passwords or gaining access to any devices, and he said he had no idea how the information had been obtained.
In order to stop Prosser from utilizing or revealing any more trade secrets, Apple is now suing the content producer, requesting damages and a court injunction. Apple maintains that undisclosed features from the developer phone are still vulnerable to exposure even though iOS 26 is now available to the general market.
