The legal battle between Apple and prominent tech leaker Jon Prosser just hit a new milestone. After a default was entered against Prosser for missing a court deadline, a federal judge has stepped in to reset the clock, and Prosser now has a narrow window to formally fight back.
Pay less for your games.
Get discounts up to 80% off
How Prosser ended up in default
The lawsuit stems from Apple's claim that Michael Ramacciotti accessed a development iPhone belonging to former Apple employee Ethan Lipnik while Lipnik was away from home. Apple alleges Prosser then used information pulled from that device to publish videos previewing elements of what eventually shipped as the Liquid Glass redesign in iOS 26.
Prosser initially missed the court-mandated deadline to respond to Apple's complaint. That absence triggered a default entry by the clerk, which effectively froze his ability to contest Apple's claims unless a judge intervened to remove it.
The judge steps in
U.S. District Judge James Donato has now granted a joint request from both sides to set aside that default. The order, dated June 22, gives Prosser ten days to file a formal response to Apple's complaint.
Here's the thing: both Apple and Prosser's legal team agreed that removing the default was the cleaner path forward. Prosser retained counsel after the initial deadline passed, and his attorney signaled plans to mount actual defenses against Apple's allegations. Getting the default removed was a prerequisite for any of that to happen.
One wrinkle worth noting: the order includes discovery and deposition deadlines that had already passed by the time it was issued, which suggests the court may have signed an earlier version of the document without updating those dates. That kind of administrative oversight could create procedural complications as the case moves forward.
What this means for the bigger picture
This case carries real weight beyond Prosser specifically. Apple has historically played hardball with leakers, but taking someone to federal court over pre-release design leaks is a significant escalation. The Liquid Glass redesign was arguably one of Apple's most closely guarded secrets heading into its reveal, and the company clearly views the alleged leak as a serious breach.
For anyone following the tech leak community, the outcome here could set a precedent for how aggressively companies pursue leakers through the courts rather than just through internal security measures. Prosser has one of the most recognizable names in Apple leaking circles, which makes this case a high-profile test of that approach.
Prosser's formal response, due within ten days of the June 22 order, will be the first real indication of what his legal defense actually looks like. Until then, the case remains very much open.
While you wait for more updates on this one, check out our gaming guides for something a little less legally stressful to sink your time into. If you're deep in Fortnite's Star Wars mode right now, the guide on how to steal Droid Blueprints is worth a read, and there's also a solid breakdown covering how to sell Blueprints to maximize your Credits before the mode wraps.
