'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAIxAAAgIAAwkAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMAAgQSIgUGBxEVITFxof/EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/xAAYEQEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIDEf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AucQdqPXu3gumZCV4kWasAG11ZbadQFeZsa+vMw1qE2be1ksBJJIBHb7EQXKo8jF1n//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Apple has filed a lawsuit against tech YouTuber Jon Prosser and his associate, Michael Ramacciotti.
As per reports, the company has accused them of improperly obtaining an Apple employee, Ethan Lipnik’s development iPhone, and secretly releasing the highly confidential information about the iOS 26 software update. The lawsuit was filed on Thursday, July 17, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for Northern California.
A report in the UPI stated that Jon Prosser and his co-conspirator Ramacciotti allegedly misappropriated trade secrets, violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Apple further claimed that Prosser released the important details of iOS 26 software two months earlier than its original release on June 9 during its Worldwide Developers Conference.
The suit alleged that Ramacciotti claimed Jon Prosser was the mastermind behind the plan. He promised him that he would “find out a way for [Mr. Ramacciotti] to get payment.”
What else do we know about the controversy? Here are more details.
Exploring the drama that unfolded between Apple and YouTuber Jon Prosser
In the lawsuit filed against YouTuber Jon Prosser and another man named Michael Ramacciotti, Apple accused Prosser of allegedly scheming to “break into an Apple development iPhone, steal Apple’s trade secrets, and profit from the theft.”
The lawsuit alleges that Prosser, who is known for making tech videos on his YouTube channel, Front Page Tech, since 2013, deliberately took advantage of an Apple employee, Ethan Lipnik. The lawsuit stated that the company learned about his tactics when Ramacciotti sent the details of the scheme to Lipnik through an audio message, which he provided to Apple.
He said that “Ramacciotti used location tracking to determine when Lipnick would be away from home for an extended period, acquired his password and broke into his Development iPhone, which Lipnik failed to secure according to the company’s policies.
Apple claimed that Ramacciotti showed the features and applications of the software to Jon Prosser over a video call, which he recorded and shared with others. According to Ramacciotti, he deliberately conducted the theft despite knowing that it would put Lipnik’s career in jeopardy.
Eventually, Lipnik was fired from the company for failing to follow its policies, as reported by Wired. According to the complaint, Apple ended Lipnik’s employment “for failing to follow Apple’s policies designed to protect its confidential information, including development devices and unreleased software and features.”
However, Jon Prosser has denied the claims made by Apple. In a post shared on X on July 18, 2025, he said:
“For the record: This is not how the situation played out on my end. Luckily have receipts for that. I did not “plot” to access anyone’s phone. I did not have any passwords. I was unaware of how the information was obtained. Looking forward to speaking with Apple on this.”
UPI reported that Apple is seeking monetary and punitive damages in amounts to be proven at trial, including interest. It reportedly suffered financial losses exceeding $5,000 over the period of a year.
The company now demands a trial by jury for “all causes of action, claims, or issues” in this matter, per the complaint.
Reply
