Exclusive: Apple’s Unreleased iPhone 18 Pro Videos Leaked from X

Earlier this month, reports surfaced regarding a data breach at an Indian assembly partner of Apple, Tata Electronics, where confidential Apple documents were exposed. This breach led to the disclosure of Apple’s plans for upcoming devices, including specifications for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. Apple has now taken action to prevent the leakage of video footage showcasing these unreleased iPhone models.

Recently, videos claiming to show drop testing of the iPhone 18 Pro started circulating on social media platforms, particularly on Twitter. These videos featured a silver-gray iPhone 18 Pro with the expected three-camera rear array, showing noticeable differences in the camera design compared to the current iPhone 17 Pro. The footage also highlighted the Apple logo on the device’s back with a reflective finish.

Initially shared by an account using the @EvLeaks handle and reposted by Ice Universe, the posts were eventually removed by X due to a violation of the platform’s rules, leading to the suspension of the @EvLeaks account. However, the Ice Universe account remains active at the time of writing.

Evan Blass, commonly associated with the EvLeaks handle, distanced himself from the new @EvLeaks account and the alleged iPhone leak posted there. Blass hinted at Apple’s swift response to the leaks, contrasting it with Samsung’s history of leaked information that he had previously made public without repercussions.

While Apple has not officially commented on the leaked videos and their removal, a crackdown on such content seems to be escalating, with numerous videos and articles being taken down. In China, Ice Universe claimed on Weibo that Apple had already taken steps to ban the leaked data on Twitter.

In a recent development, tech publication 9to5Mac withdrew a report covering the leaked drop-test videos. The reasons for the removal of the posts were not specified, leaving uncertainty about whether Apple or Tata requested their removal or if the videos themselves were deemed fraudulent.

Apple is reportedly investigating the incident and collaborating with Tata to enhance security measures to prevent similar breaches in the future.

The breach at Tata Electronics, involving the theft of sensitive Apple documents, was orchestrated by a ransomware group known as World Leaks. The group claimed to have accessed over 200,000 files, totaling more than 630 GB of data. While Tata Electronics acknowledged the cybersecurity incident, they refrained from disclosing the exact nature and extent of the data breach. Reports indicated that Apple was particularly concerned about the leaked files, which included confidential documents, component details, supplier information, codenames, and images of iPhone 18 Pro models during drop testing.

Tata Electronics plays a significant role in Apple’s strategy to shift production of its devices out of China, being India’s largest Apple supplier in terms of workforce. Despite this, Foxconn remains the leading Apple assembly partner in terms of production output. Apart from Apple, Tata also has agreements with other tech companies like Intel, Qualcomm, Tesla, among others, making the stolen data more extensive than just Apple-related information.

The incident has prompted Apple to reassess its security protocols and collaborate with Tata to fortify their defenses against future cyber threats.