Apple v. OpenAI Trade Secrets Trial Set for July 19, 2027

A US federal court has set July 19, 2027 as the start date for Apple's trade secrets trial against OpenAI, io Products and former Apple employees. Judge Edward Davila issued the official case schedule on October 28.

The judge had asked the parties to agree on a proposed timeline at a case management conference on October 14, and the July 2027 date was the one they put forward. The trial is due to begin at 9 a.m. local time. The months before it are set aside for completing document and evidence exchange, expert discovery, legal motions and pretrial hearings.

What Apple alleges

Apple filed the suit in July 2026. It accuses former employees of taking confidential information about its products and technologies and using it to help OpenAI develop future consumer devices. According to the complaint, they shared confidential details during job interviews with OpenAI, including unreleased hardware, electronic components, manufacturing processes and relationships with suppliers.

The defendants include Tang Tan, a former senior product design leader at Apple, and Chang Liu, a former engineer, along with OpenAI and io Products. OpenAI denies the allegations. It argues the lawsuit is meant to restrict employees from moving to competitors and says developing its devices does not require Apple's trade secrets.

Procedural steps in October

The case has moved quickly this month. The judge allowed Apple early access to a set of documents and digital data, including forensic copies of former employees' devices, and permitted some of them to be questioned earlier than usual. At the October 14 hearing, OpenAI also agreed not to use the trade secrets Apple says were taken for as long as the dispute is pending, under an arrangement supervised by the court.

Setting a trial date does not mean the court has ruled on the accusations. The case remains open, and evidence gathering and legal motions will continue until the trial opens in July 2027.