Apple Settles Lawsuit With Employee Accused of Stealing Trade Secrets

Apple this week settled a lawsuit with Simon Lancaster, a former employee accused of using his position within the company to steal "sensitive trade secret information" that was provided to a tech journalist.

project x feature yellow
According to The Verge, Lancaster will pay an undisclosed amount of money to Apple and will avoid discussing engineering data, confidential business information, and data about unreleased products.

Apple first filed a lawsuit against Lancaster in March 2021 after the company discovered he had leaked sensitive company information to a tech journalist who used that data to publish articles. Lancaster worked at Apple for more than a decade, and at the time that he stole information, he had a role as an Advanced Materials Lead and Product Design Architect.

Lancaster had access to secretive information as he was responsible for evaluating materials and prototyping innovations for future hardware devices. Apple said that he used his seniority to attend internal meetings and access documents that were outside of the scope of his job responsibilities.

Lancaster began leaking details to a media contact in late 2018, and he exchanged information for favors such as positive coverage of a startup that he invested in. Prior to leaving Apple, he downloaded a "substantial number" of confidential Apple documents that included details on unreleased Apple hardware products, including a device Apple referred to as Project X.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Coming Next Week: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Thursday September 4, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
We're only days away from Apple's "Awe dropping" fall event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for...

Top Rated Comments

ProfessionalFan Avatar
37 months ago

Man working at that company has got to be so uncomfortable - always under surveillance. Never trusted.
You’re not allowed to steal trade secrets from any company. And clearly not always under surveillance since he was able to do this for some time before being caught. Odd take to side with the guy who did this.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NY Guitarist Avatar
37 months ago
What's Project X? ;)
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
37 months ago
Someone find out what Project X is, please. It’s going to be hard going to sleep now. We definitely didn’t see it this year. Maybe next year? ?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Cappy Avatar
37 months ago
"Lancaster had access to secretive information..."

I do not think that word means what you think it means.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
37 months ago
The guy was a thief and lucky he didn’t wind up in jail.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
37 months ago

Project X cunningly disguised as Project 10 to flush such leakers out.
The Leakers are definitely out of the game now. Nowadays we just have to rely on Mark Gurman & Kuo. It seems like all they do is speculate. Back then we had actual leakers leaking accurate stuff from Apple.

https://www.macrumors.com/2021/06/24/reliable-leaker-kang-hit-with-warning/
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)