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Leaked iPhone that have not been officially launched are often scattered on the internet. These leaks are often quite accurate and make the official launch event less exciting because it’s all been revealed.
However, leaks of the next generation iPhone will likely decrease. Angry Apple is now getting tougher.
Apple’s fury against product leaker can no longer be dammed. The Cupertino, United States-based company is now sending a letter to those known to have leaked unreleased Apple products.
One of those who received a warning was a Chinese citizen, who was suspected of leaking products that are still under development (prototypes, prototypes) to social media.
Apple sent a letter containing a subpoena and a request that the perpetrator notify the source of the information he got from the leak. According to information obtained by Motherboard, the letter was sent by Fangda Partners, Apple’s law firm in China, on June 18, 2021.
In the letter, Apple requested that perpetrators stop procuring, advertising, and selling unofficial Apple devices.
Apple also asked for information on anyone who leaked information on prototype devices to perpetrators. Apple requested that the request be fulfilled within 14 days of receiving the letter.
“You have disclosed a large amount of information without authorization, relating to unreleased and announced Apple products, which constitutes a willful violation of Apple’s trade secrets,” Apple wrote in the letter.
“Through investigations, Apple has obtained relevant evidence regarding the unauthorized disclosure of Apple products that have not been released and announced,” Apple continued.
Specifically, Apple called the violation that the leaker had committed was “publishing unpublished information about Apple’s new products through social media platforms, not limited to the design and performance of new products”.
Circulating on social media from China
Leaks of Apple products often flow through social media. Frequently, initial leaks appear on China-based social media, such as Weibo. I n 2019, Motherboard conducted an investigation and found that prototypes of Apple products were often sold on the black market.
The “market” was allegedly enlivened by Apple employees in China or Foxconn employees who are suppliers of Apple components. They are suspected of smuggling the hardware from the factory.
The retailer then acquires the device and sells it to collectors of unreleased prototypes of Apple’s new product. Apart from collectors, they also sell to hackers who are looking for loopholes to develop tools to exploit Apple devices.
One of the sellers identified by Motherboard admitted to receiving a letter from Apple.
“They want to know how information gets leaked and how items that leak in the supply chain are sold to specific people,” said one seller who asked not to be named for fear of making Apple more angry.
On Twitter, the seller’s account with the Mr.White handle is known to no longer be found. The @Mr.White account is quite accurate in leaking iPhone products. Like when leaking pictures of the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 mini, A14 Bionic chipset, and iPad mini 5s cases before they were announced to the public.
In June, Apple also wrote to leakers of gadgets from China known as “Kang” and “Duan Rui”.
Both were asked to stop revealing images and specifications of Apple’s new products that have not been officially released. Apple also threatened to police them if they did not comply with the request.
Serious threat
Apple’s threat to leakers of its new products may not be just a bluff. In 2018, Apple did not hesitate to bring 12 people to court. They are Apple employees, contractors, and several partners in Apple’s supply chain.
They were arrested by the authorities for revealing confidential company information to the public and the media. Not only Apple, Samsung will also be more fierce to the leakers of new products that have not been officially announced.
Recently, Samsung started implementing copyright use for unreleased photos and videos. Leakers will be reprimanded for publishing leaks of official renders or certain assets.
