Apple and prominent tech YouTuber Jon Prosser have filed a joint agreement asking a federal judge to reopen their ongoing legal battle over the unreleased “Liquid Glass” interface. The move comes as Apple escalates its aggressive corporate crackdown on unauthorized hardware and software leaks, functioning similarly to its recent prosecution of a former engineer who shared trade secrets with a Chinese firm.
Court documents filed on June 9 and unsealed Wednesday reveal that Prosser has retained new legal counsel and formally agreed to “immediately produce discovery.” Apple stated it does not oppose vacating the default judgment entered against Prosser last October, noting that his new compliance is the “most efficient way to advance this case without further delay.”
The Alleged FaceTime Leak
Apple initially launched the lawsuit in July 2025, accusing Prosser and co-defendant Michael Ramacciotti of a coordinated scheme to misappropriate iOS 26 trade secrets. According to the complaint, Ramacciotti accessed an Apple development iPhone belonging to his friend Ethan Lipnik, a former Apple software engineer who was subsequently fired. Ramacciotti allegedly showed the contents of the device to Prosser over a FaceTime call.
This access enabled Prosser to publish recreated renders of the Liquid Glass UI on his Front Page Tech channel months before its official unveiling. Prosser missed multiple court deadlines to formally respond to the initial complaint, leading to the court entering a default judgment against him last October.
His co-defendant has taken a starkly different legal approach. Ramacciotti has actively cooperated with Apple’s investigation, providing an additional device for forensic review and offering a follow-up deposition. He has been discussing a potential settlement with Apple since late 2025.
How the First Amendment Defense Complicates Hardware Reporting
Prior to retaining his new legal counsel and agreeing to discovery, Prosser’s defense team reportedly explored a First Amendment strategy, arguing his publication of the renders was protected journalistic speech. This argument creates a specific legal friction point for the broader consumer technology industry.
If the court eventually rules that recreating UI renders from a leaked FaceTime call falls outside First Amendment protections, independent hardware reporters face new liability risks when covering unannounced corporate software. By agreeing to vacate the default judgment, Judge James Donato allows the case to proceed to the evidentiary phase, forcing Prosser to turn over his requested communications.