Apple and OpenAI are heading for a courtroom battle over allegations of trade secret theft. A US court has now set a date for the trial, which means the two big tech companies will have to wait several more months before their dispute is heard.
According to the Reuters, the trial will begin on July 19, 2027. US District Judge Edward J Davila has approved the schedule for Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI, io Products and two former Apple employees. The Cupertino-based tech giant filed the case on July 10, 2026, in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.
Why Is Apple Suing OpenAI?
The iPhone maker has accused OpenAI and two former employees, Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu, of taking confidential company information that could help the AI company develop its own consumer hardware products.
According to the complaint, Liu allegedly failed to return his company laptop after leaving Apple and downloaded dozens of confidential hardware-related files before joining OpenAI.
These files reportedly included information related to Apple’s hardware development.
The Cupertino-based tech giant has also accused Tang Yew Tan, who now leads OpenAI’s hardware division, of sending himself confidential information about Apple’s suppliers and internal industry reports before leaving the company.
As per Apple, this information could give OpenAI an advantage as it works on developing hardware products that could compete with its own devices.
What has OpenAI said?
Sam Altman’s OpenAI has denied Apple’s allegations and said that it is not aware of any evidence supporting the claims made in the lawsuit. The company behind the popular AI chatbot has also argued that employees may sometimes retain files without knowing they are still accessible or intending to use them.
The dispute comes after OpenAI acquired io Products in 2025. The hardware startup was co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, and the deal has brought attention to OpenAI’s plans to enter the consumer hardware market.
The final pretrial conference is scheduled for June 24, 2027. Until then, both sides will continue presenting documents and evidence as they prepare their arguments.
