Apple sues former employee for stealing Vision Pro secrets

Published: 2025-07-02 18:00:24 ET AAPL

Published on 07/02/2025 at 18:00

Key takeaways

In a recent lawsuit filed by Apple, former employee Di Liu is accused of stealing secrets related to the Vision Pro. According to the complaint, Liu uploaded thousands of confidential documents from Apple’s internal systems to his personal cloud storage in the days before he left the company.

According to the complaint, Liu misrepresented the reasons for his departure, citing health issues, while concealing a new job as a product engineer at Snap. This deception prevented Apple from immediately revoking his access to sensitive information, a standard procedure when employees move to another company. As a result, Apple claims that Liu was able to copy a significant amount of data.

Connection to Snap

Although the exact contents of the downloaded material related to the Vision Pro remain unknown, Apple suggests a link between the information Liu took and Snap’s AR Spectacles products, implying an intent to use the Apple data he stole for his new employer. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from Liu for breach of contractual obligations and demands the return of all stolen material.

Snap denies any involvement in the case, stating that it has reviewed Apple’s claims and found no reason to believe they are related to Liu’s employment or conduct at Snap. This incident is part of a series of lawsuits Apple has filed against former employees accused of misappropriating proprietary information about their products. Previous cases include a settlement with a former design architect in 2022 and the withdrawal of charges against a former iOS engineer in February.