Apple has filed a lawsuit against a former senior engineer, accusing him of stealing confidential data related to its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset before joining Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat. The lawsuit, filed on June 24, 2025, in California, alleges that Di Liu—who spent nearly seven years at Apple—downloaded thousands of sensitive documents during his notice period in 2024.
Liu played a key role as a system product design engineer on the Vision Pro project, Apple’s flagship entry into spatial computing. According to the complaint, he transferred proprietary files to his personal cloud account while still using his Apple-issued laptop and active employee credentials.
Apple claims that Liu did not disclose his move to Snap, a direct competitor in the augmented reality (AR) space, known for its Spectacles AR glasses. This lack of transparency allowed Liu to maintain full access to Apple’s internal systems during his two-week offboarding period. During that time, Apple alleges, he downloaded secure documents containing sensitive hardware designs, code names, technology blueprints, and supply-chain information.
The lawsuit states that these materials are closely tied to technologies relevant to Liu’s new role at Snap. Although Snap is not named as a defendant, Apple’s filing raises concerns that its intellectual property could be used to benefit Snap’s AR product development.
This case is the latest in a series of legal actions Apple has taken to protect its trade secrets. The company has a history of pursuing former employees suspected of leaking confidential information, particularly in emerging fields like spatial computing and augmented reality.
Apple emphasized its commitment to safeguarding its innovations and maintaining the integrity of its competitive edge in these fast-growing technology sectors.
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