Apple sues former iOS engineer for allegedly leaking Vision Pro, Journal app details

Apple is suing a former worker for leaking confidential data, together with unknown details about Apple’s Journal app, the event of the VisionOS headset, and extra, to journalists and staff of different corporations. The lawsuit, filed ten days in the past in California state court docket (24CV433319, pdf), says Andrew Aude additionally leaked regulatory compliance methods, worker headcounts, and different product {hardware} traits.

As reported beforehand by MacRumors, in no less than one message, the corporate says Aude claimed he leaked data “so he could “kill” merchandise and options with which he took challenge.”

Apple referenced most of the communications within the lawsuit:

Between June and September 2023 alone, Mr. Aude linked with a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) journalist, whom Mr. Aude code named “Homeboy,” over 1,400 instances utilizing an encrypted messaging app. Mr. Aude additionally learn “Homeboy” a ultimate function checklist for an unannounced Apple product over the cellphone. Mr. Aude despatched one other journalist at The Information over 10,000 textual content messages and traveled throughout the continent to fulfill together with her.

The following screenshot of an encrypted message trade on the Signal app between Aude and a WSJ journalist seems within the criticism, as Apple says, “Mr. Aude often took and saved screenshots of his communications on his Apple-issued work iPhone to preserve them for posterity.”

Apple accuses Aude of leaking an inventory of finalized options for Apple’s Journal app in a cellphone name that occurred in April 2023 to the identical reporter. A narrative in regards to the unreleased app’s options appeared that very same month in The Wall Street Journal. 

Aude joined Apple in 2016 as an iOS engineer targeted on optimizing battery efficiency. Apple’s attorneys write that the character of the position gave Aude entry to “information regarding dozens of Apple’s most sensitive products.”

The leaks weren’t found till late 2023, the corporate states. When representatives from Apple first sat down with Aude in November 2023, he reportedly denied his involvement within the leaks and lied about having his Apple-issued iPhone with him. Then, they declare, he faked needing to go to the lavatory, “extracted his iPhone from his pocket during the break and permanently deleted significant amounts of evidence from his device,” together with the Signal app.

Then, in a second assembly on December twelfth, the criticism says “Mr. Aude admitted that he leaked information about Apple’s strategies for regulatory compliance, unannounced products, development policies, and hardware characteristics of certain released products to at least two journalists.” He was fired three days later. Apple’s submitting says the corporate is searching for a jury trial, damages, “restitution and/or disgorgement” of bonuses and inventory choices, plus “An order directing Mr. Aude not to disclose Apple’s confidential and proprietary, information to third parties without its written consent.”