Ex-Apple engineer apologizes for leaking confidential information to journalists
What's the story
Andrew Aude, a former iOS engineer at Apple, has publicly apologized for leaking confidential company information to journalists.
The apology comes after a lawsuit against him by Apple last year was recently dismissed.
Aude confessed to leaking sensitive details about several Apple products and policies to The Wall Street Journal and The Information.
Career impact
Regret over professional repercussions
Aude expressed deep regret for his actions during his nearly eight-year tenure at Apple, noting that he had access to sensitive internal data.
He confessed to sharing this information with journalists covering Apple - a decision he now recognizes as a "profound and expensive mistake."
Aude lamented the damage caused by his actions, saying hundreds of professional relationships were ruined and his successful career as a software engineer was derailed.
Colleague remorse
Aude's apology to former colleagues at Apple
In his public apology, Aude expressed remorse toward his former Apple colleagues.
"Leaking was not worth it," he said, extending a sincere apology to those who not only worked tirelessly on projects for Apple but also worked to keep them confidential.
The lawsuit Apple filed in March 2024 accused Aude of leaking information about several different company policies and products.
Leak specifics
Details of the leaked information and lawsuit resolution
The leaked information included details about Apple's spatial computing efforts, an unannounced app, as well as corporate headcounts.
Coinciding with Aude's alleged contact with a Wall Street Journal reporter, the outlet published a report about the yet-to-be-released Journal app.
On February 6, a filing with a California Superior Court stated that "Aude has reached an agreement with Apple to resolve this matter."