The employee’s LinkedIn page says he worked on the MacBook Pro’s TouchBar, among other things.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Apple says a former product design employee stole information about hardware products, unannounced features and future plans and leaked it to a journalist, violating the company’s nondisclosure policies and trade secret laws.
In the lawsuit, filed on Thursday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Apple outlined a working relationship between a former employee, Simon Lancaster, and an unidentified journalist. The technology giant claims that Lancaster used his access at the company to download confidential information and attend meetings specifically to refer that contact to the media. Apple said it participated in one of its last meetings at the company, on “Project X”, as it is called in the process, after submitting its resignation, despite having been instructed by others not to attend. Apple Insider reported the news earlier.
“Tens of thousands of Apple employees work tirelessly every day on new products, services and features in the hope of delighting our customers and enabling them to change the world,” said an Apple spokesman in an email statement. . “Stealing confidential ideas and information undermines your efforts, harming Apple and our customers.”
Lancaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lancaster’s website and LinkedIn page say he worked on product design for the MacBook Pro TouchBar, Apple Watch and iPhone, among other devices. He is listed on more than a dozen patents and patent applications while working for the company.
Apple’s lawsuit is the latest example of how far the company tries to protect its secret product plans and how difficult it has become. Secrecy and exaggeration have been part of Apple’s culture since its early years, when co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled the Macintosh computer after a Super Bowl ad inspired by 1984. Shortly after Tim Cook took over as CEO a decade ago, he promised “to bet“in secrecy, while promising, the company has interesting product plans.
The company’s strict control over information has not always worked. Apple’s extensive supply chain, offices on several continents and more than 147,000 employees in September last year make it almost impossible to keep anything secret.
Apple said it “strictly controls” who is “disclosed” on a given project before they are given access to the information. Those who have access to the information can sponsor those who do not, Apple said, but they must submit a request and include a business justification. Apple uses built-in software tools to manage and maintain all requests for disclosures.
Apple said Lancaster “remains a continuing threat of embezzlement”, saying it does not know how much information Lancaster has.
The company asks for damages and punishments, in addition to precautionary measures. He’s asking for a jury trial.