Judge Signals Likely Preliminary Injunction for Apple Against OpenAI in Hardware Trade-Secret Suit

US District Judge Edward J. Davila said on October 14, 2026, that he is "highly likely" to grant Apple $AAPL a preliminary injunction against OpenAI, io Products, and two former Apple employees in a hardware trade-secret lawsuit. On October 13, 2026, Judge Davila partially granted Apple's request for expedited discovery, ordering the production of forensic images and communication records while authorizing early depositions for four key individuals. Apple filed the complaint on July 10, 2026, against OpenAI, io Products (which OpenAI acquired in 2025 for approximately $6.4B), former Apple engineer Chang Liu, and former Apple VP of product design Tang Yew Tan, who now serves as OpenAI's chief hardware officer. Apple alleges the defendants coordinated an effort to take confidential hardware product designs and manufacturing processes to accelerate OpenAI's consumer device development, which reportedly includes a high-end speaker targeted for release in 2027. OpenAI denied the allegations as groundless and retaliatory, though a granted injunction would likely require its hardware team to demonstrate that its ongoing work does not rely on the disputed Apple information.