Apple has initiated legal action against a former engineer accused of copying a substantial amount of confidential information from the Vision Pro before moving to Snap, the parent company of Snapchat and the Spectacles smart glasses.
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An All-Too-Familiar Pattern
Theft of trade secrets lawsuits are becoming almost customary in Cupertino’s realm. Following allegations in 2023 against three former employees suspected of leaking sensitive data about the Apple Car project, and then settling a dispute in 2024 with startup Rivos, 2025 sees Apple targeting Di Liu, a former augmented reality engineer.
According to SiliconValley.com, Apple is accusing Di Liu of copying a significant volume
of confidential technological data, some of which were part of Vision Pro and others not yet publicly disclosed. In its lawsuit, Cupertino states that Di Liu officially resigned to spend more time with his family
. However, he reportedly accepted a position at Snap, a move he allegedly concealed from his employer.
This alleged deception allowed him to maintain full access to Apple’s internal systems during his notice period. It was during this time that he supposedly transferred files from his work Mac to a personal cloud, after deleting those that could reveal the exact nature of the data extracted.
Snap Denies Any Involvement
It’s important to note that Apple’s lawsuit does not target Snap, and a spokesperson for the California-based company has stated they have reviewed the allegations
and found no connection to the employment or behavior of the individual at Snap
.
It should be remembered that Snap has been developing its own smart glasses since 2017 (Spectacles), well before the official announcement of the Vision Pro. Nevertheless, Apple believes there is a troubling proximity between the confidential information retained by the former employee and Snap’s AR products
. The trial will allow further investigation into this matter.
A Case with Unclear Boundaries
Apple is requesting the court to order the return of the allegedly stolen documents and is seeking damages, the amount of which is unspecified. The practicality of how Apple intends to recover files that may have already been used or duplicated, however, raises practical questions. Di Liu has not publicly responded, and to date, no lawyer has commented on the case.
This case is part of a broader legal strategy by Apple aimed at fiercely protecting its most sensitive projects, especially in the emerging AR/VR device sector, where competition (from Meta, Snap, Samsung, etc.) is fierce…
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