TLDRs;
- Apple has sued a former Vision Pro engineer, accusing him of stealing confidential files before joining Snap.
- The company claims the ex-employee, Di Liu, misled them about his departure, allowing him to retain access to sensitive systems.
- Logs allegedly show Liu intentionally transferred and deleted proprietary documents tied to Apple’s AR headset.
- Apple is seeking damages and a forensic review of Liu’s personal devices to recover and delete the stolen data.
Apple has filed a lawsuit against Di Liu, a former senior product design engineer on its Vision Pro team, accusing him of stealing confidential data shortly before leaving the company for a new position at Snap.
The complaint, lodged in Santa Clara County Superior Court on June 24, alleges that Liu copied thousands of sensitive documents related to Apple’s augmented reality headset, potentially exposing critical product details to a competitor.
Apple’s Sues former Engineer
According to Apple, Liu submitted his resignation under the pretense of health concerns and failed to disclose his intention to join Snap as a product design engineer. That omission, Apple claims, allowed Liu to bypass the company’s standard exit protocols, which typically include immediate access restrictions when an employee departs for a rival firm. Instead, he retained access to internal systems during a two-week transition period, allegedly using that time to exfiltrate proprietary information.
Apple says internal logs reveal deliberate file transfers from Liu’s Apple-issued laptop to his personal cloud storage. These records reportedly show that Liu handpicked specific folders, reorganized some of them, and deleted key files in an attempt to erase evidence. The company believes the scope of the theft was extensive, though it admits it cannot fully determine the exact contents of what was taken.
Stolen Files May Overlap with Snap’s AR Development
One section of the lawsuit highlights Apple’s concern that the information overlaps with Snap’s own augmented reality projects, specifically the company’s Spectacles AR glasses. The similarity has fueled suspicions that Liu may have intended to repurpose Apple’s intellectual property in his new role. While Apple stopped short of accusing Snap directly, it made clear that the timing and nature of Liu’s actions pose a serious competitive threat.
Snap, for its part, responded by saying it had reviewed Apple’s complaint and found no indication that Liu’s alleged conduct involved his duties at Snap. The company emphasized that it does not tolerate violations of confidentiality or trade secret laws.
Apple Demands Damages and Digital Forensics Review
Apple is seeking unspecified financial damages and has asked the court to compel Liu to return all proprietary data in his possession. Additionally, Apple wants Liu’s personal devices and accounts to be reviewed by a forensic expert to confirm that no sensitive data remains.
This is not the first time Apple has taken legal action against a former employee for leaking confidential information. In recent years, the company has sued several ex-workers for similar offenses, including cases involving leaks to journalists and transfers to rival firms. Some lawsuits have been settled, while others were dismissed after the accused apologized or cooperated with investigations.
That said, Apple’s latest legal push underscores the company’s fierce commitment to safeguarding its product development pipeline. As it competes in the high-stakes race for dominance in augmented and virtual reality, even the hint of a leak can trigger a full-blown legal response from the Cupertino-based giant.
