Apple has filed a lawsuit against Di Liu, a former engineer on its Vision Pro project, accusing him of stealing confidential information related to Apple’s augmented reality headset and transferring it to Snap. The lawsuit, obtained by The Register, provides detailed allegations that Liu was employed at Apple until October 18, 23, when he received a job offer from Snap, a role described as ‘substantially similar’ to his Apple position. The company claims that Liu did not disclose his intention to leave for Snap and continued to access Apple’s systems, copying more than a dozen folders containing thousands of files to a personal cloud storage account. The files include confidential product code names and sensitive intellectual property, with the company alleging that Liu also deleted files to cover his tracks. Apple is seeking a jury trial, a court order to retrieve the stolen data, and compensation for legal costs and damages.
According to the lawsuit, Liu accepted a job offer from Snap on October 18, 2024, a role the complaint describes as ‘substantially similar’ to his Apple position. This prompted Apple to deny him continued access to its systems had he disclosed his intention to leave for Snap. The company alleged that Liu deleted files from his Apple-issued computer to conceal his activities, which may hinder Apple’s ability to determine the full scope of the data he exfiltrated. The complaint noted that Liu ‘deceived Apple about his job at Snap’ and ‘deleted files from his Apple-issued computer that might have let Apple determine what data Mr. Liu stole.’ Apple is demanding that the court compel Liu to return all misappropriated data, award damages, and reimburse the company’s costs and attorneys’ fees.
Apple’s legal action is part of a broader effort to protect its intellectual property and confidential information, particularly as it continues development of the Vision Pro headset. The company’s lawsuit highlights the importance of maintaining security in the tech industry, where the leakage of sensitive information can have significant implications for both the company and its competitors. While the case is currently in the early stages, it may have broader implications for corporate espionage and data protection policies in the tech sector. The outcome of the case could set a precedent for how companies handle such situations, potentially affecting how other tech firms manage their confidential data and employee loyalty to non-disclosure agreements.