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In a cease-and-desist letter sent to a Chinese citizen in June, Apple reiterated its stance on hardware leaks, saying that releasing unreleased products harms consumers.
In the letter, written by Apple's lawyers and sent to a well-known Chinese leaker and seller of hardware prototypes, the company argues that unauthorized advertising related to rumors or unreleased products harms consumer interests by diminishing launch day surprises - the reported Motherboard. The letter states:
Such situations are detrimental to the interests of consumers and Apple. Therefore, it is obvious that the unpublished information about the design and performance of Apple's products, if kept confidential, has real and potential commercial value.
Cupertino: “Apple prides itself on surprising and delighting”
The tech giant prides itself on its ability to "surprise and delight," although a flood of leaks from factories in China has severely hampered its ability to do so over the past decade. With leakers, analysts, and major media outlets all eager to be the first to reveal new facets of Apple's operations, genuine surprises are rare. It continues:
Apple has made every effort to take strict measures to keep all information about Apple's products secret before their official release, to ensure that every time Apple releases a new product, the public can be surprised. The secret of Apple's latest technological innovation is an important part of the company's DNA.
Interestingly, Apple partially defends accessory manufacturers, or at least their customers, with Cupertino noting that these smaller companies “may develop and sell phone cases and other accessories that are not actually compatible with the unreleased products.”
Accessory manufacturers search for leaked circuit diagrams
It's unclear how Apple reconciles this logic. Many accessory makers seek out leaked schematics and other unofficial information to get a head start on production before a product's debut. The practice is well known, and accessories for unreleased devices often appear online months before launch, meaning accessory makers are somehow amplifying the problem. Apple also claims that promoting unreleased hardware amounts to illegal disclosure of trade secrets. In this case, the Chinese leaker published "a large amount of information about Apple's unreleased and rumored products" in order to gain "widespread publicity and a large number of followers" on social media platforms. Today's report provides further insight into a report of a cease-and-desist letter that recently came to light.
Against leaks: Apple spreads false information about upcoming product launches
Demand for information about iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and other Apple products has created something of a market for people who can get their hands on unreleased devices. A number of high-profile leakers are sourcing hardware from insiders at Apple's Chinese factories and then posting images of their loot online. Some are selling the goods to people ranging from Apple fans to developers on the hunt for obscure software vulnerabilities. Apple began cracking down on leaks in earnest last month. There is also speculation that the company is spreading disinformation about upcoming product launches to track down overzealous employees, so this game of cat and mouse is likely to remain extremely exciting. (Photo by Unsplash / Carles Rabada)
