Apple has gone to court against one of its former employees, Andrew Aude, claiming that he was responsible for the release of sensitive information about Apple Journal and VisionOS. The lawsuit accuses Aude of being a leaker who passed on regulatory compliance strategies to several employees as well as additional product hardware characteristics.
Apple sues former employee for alleged confidential information leaks
According to the lawsuit filed ten days ago at a California state court, Aude had access to secretive information because he worked as an iOS engineer whose main responsibility was optimizing battery performance. The complaint revealed that his position enabled him access to numerous secret Apple products, including some Health Initiatives.
The company also alleges that between June and September 2023 alone, Aude exchanged over 1,400 encrypted messages with Wall Street Journal’s “Homeboy” and other journalists. Moreover, Apple claims that Aude shared final feature lists for unreleased Apple products with reporters, an assertion backed by video footage of him traveling across the continent to meet them.
Other accusations in this lawsuit establish that Andrew leaked secrets regarding the Apple Journal app to a reporter leading The Wall Street Journal to publish another story about it. Earlier in December 2023, Andrew admitted leaking confidential data during a company meeting after denying and attempting to erase evidence from his iPhone which Apple issued him with.
Apple immediately fires the employee after his confession
Apple fired Aude three days after his confession due to allegedly providing information about unreleased product features. The business asked for a jury trial so they could assess the damages with restitution or disgorgement depending on how much bonuses and stock options were lost.
Furthermore, Apple requested a restraining order against Mr. Aude, barring him from revealing any other confidential information about the organization. This kind of lawsuit indicates how protective Apple can be over its corporate secrets and also serves as a reminder for staff members who violate their confidentiality agreements.
