OpenAI has submitted new allegations in an ongoing trade-secrets lawsuit against Apple. The company claims a former employee transferred over 100 files related to an unreleased hardware product to a personal account before joining Apple.
According to the filing made on October 14, 2026, the former staffer allegedly disclosed details about this unannounced device to Apple’s senior leadership. This development marks a shift in the legal dispute, as OpenAI now accuses Apple of receiving confidential information.
The legal conflict began in July 2026 when Apple sued OpenAI in the US District Court in San Jose. Apple alleges that OpenAI systematically solicited proprietary hardware data, engineering presentations, and supplier information from former Apple engineers.
Apple’s lawsuit names OpenAI, its hardware division io Products, Tang Yew Tan, and former Apple engineer Chang Liu as defendants. Apple claims that Liu exploited an authentication bug to download confidential files after leaving the company in January 2026.
OpenAI denies the accusations, attributing the situation to Apple’s internal mismanagement. OpenAI acquired io Products, founded by Jony Ive, for approximately $6.5 billion in 2025 and has reportedly hired over 400 former Apple employees.
OpenAI plans to launch its first consumer AI companion device in late 2026 or 2027. The project is a significant strategic investment for the company following its acquisition of io Products and the assembly of a hardware team led by Tang Yew Tan.
