Apple says Jon Prosser ‘has not indicated’ when he may respond to lawsuit
In a developing legal saga, Apple is pursuing a lawsuit against tech influencer Jon Prosser, accusing him of stealing trade secrets related to upcoming iOS features. Earlier this week, Prosser claimed in an interview with The Verge that he has been in “active communications” with Apple since the case commenced. However, a recent filing by Apple, reported by MacRumors, indicates that Prosser has yet to formally respond to the lawsuit, leaving the company in a position to seek a default judgment against him. This situation escalated after Prosser released videos showcasing features expected in iOS 26, leading Apple to allege that he and co-defendant Michael Ramacciotti orchestrated a scheme to illegally access an Apple development iPhone to obtain proprietary information.
The lawsuit, filed in July, has already seen a clerk enter a default against Prosser, suggesting he has not adequately engaged with the legal proceedings. This default allows Apple to expedite the case, as they intend to seek damages and an injunction against Prosser. In the same filing, Ramacciotti provided statements that complicate the narrative; he admitted to sharing information about iOS 26 with Prosser but denied any coordinated conspiracy or intent to profit from the information. Ramacciotti emphasized that there was no arrangement for compensation when he communicated with Prosser, suggesting a lack of malicious intent. The filing also mentioned that Ramacciotti and Apple have had informal discussions regarding a potential settlement, indicating that while the case is serious, there may be avenues for resolution outside of court.
This case highlights the ongoing tensions between tech companies like Apple and individuals in the tech commentary space, where the line between public interest and proprietary information can become blurred. As the legal battle unfolds, it raises important questions about intellectual property rights, the responsibilities of influencers, and the implications of sharing insider information in an increasingly competitive tech landscape. With Apple’s aggressive stance on protecting its trade secrets, this lawsuit could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future, especially as technology continues to advance rapidly and the stakes for companies grow higher.
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Earlier this week, Jon Prosser, who is being sued by Apple for allegedly stealing trade secrets,
told
The Verge
that he has been “in active communications with Apple since the beginning stages of this case.” But Apple,
in a new filing
on Thursday that was reported on
by
MacRumors
, said that while Prosser has “publicly acknowledged” Apple’s complaint, he “has not indicated whether he will file a response to it or, if so, by when.”
Prosser didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from
The Verge
. Apple sued Prosser, who posted videos earlier this year showing off features that would debut in iOS 26 ahead of their official announcement, and another defendant, Michael Ramacciotti,
in July
. The company alleged that Prosser and Ramacciotti had “a coordinated scheme to break into an Apple development iPhone, steal Apple’s trade secrets, and profit from the theft.”
A clerk already entered a default against Prosser last week, which means he hasn’t responded to the lawsuit and that the case can move forward. In Thursday’s filing, Apple said it “intends to file a default judgment seeking damages and an injunction against him.”
Thursday’s filing also includes statements from Ramacciotti. While Ramacciotti “admits to” providing information about iOS 26 to Prosser, “no underlying plan, conspiracy, or scheme was formed” between them, Ramacciotti said. He also claimed that he “had no intent to monetize this information when he contacted Mr. Prosser, nor was there any arrangement at the time the information was conveyed that he would be compensation [sic].”
Apple and Ramacciotti have also “informally discussed settlement,” according to the filing.
