Apple sues OpenAI and faces iPhone price hike amid record revenue

Apple sued OpenAI and two former Apple engineers on Friday, alleging theft of hardware trade secrets that could stall OpenAI’s nascent consumer‑hardware push, while analysts flag a $250‑$300 price hike for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max amid Apple’s record $109.4 bn quarterly revenue [1][2].

Legal showdown and its market impact

The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims Liu downloaded “dozens” of confidential hardware files after retaining a work laptop, while Tan allegedly emailed himself Apple supplier data and extracted project details from departing colleagues [1]. Apple seeks a preliminary injunction to force the return of all trade secrets and halt OpenAI’s hardware development, a move that could delay OpenAI’s hardware rollout and signal heightened enforcement of IP protection in the AI‑hardware race. OpenAI has not commented, and a Reuters source indicated it may be weighing its own legal options [1].

Pricing pressure and revenue strength

Separately, research from GF Securities points to a $300 increase in the bill‑of‑materials for the 1 TB iPhone 18 Pro Max, driven by higher‑cost NAND storage, translating into a $250‑$300 retail price hike this year [2]. The upgrade aligns with rumors of a variable‑aperture Sony IMX905 sensor and a larger 5,567 mAh battery, both of which could justify higher pricing but also risk consumer pushback. Despite these cost pressures, Apple reported its strongest June quarter ever, with revenue climbing to $109.4 bn, powered by a 21.7 % jump in iPhone sales to $54.3 bn and a 28.7 % rise in Mac revenue to $10.4 bn [2]. The earnings underscore the company’s ability to absorb price increases while maintaining demand.

Chip roadmap and competitive context

Apple is also rumored to skip the M6 Pro variants and push directly to an M7 Ultra chip next year, targeting performance near NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPUs and supporting up to 1.5 TB of memory [2]. If realized, the M7 Ultra would give Apple a server‑chip edge ahead of its 2029 next‑gen silicon, positioning the firm against both traditional PC makers and AI‑chip specialists.

What to watch

• Court filings: Follow the district court docket for any injunction rulings that could affect OpenAI’s hardware timeline.
• iPhone 18 Pro Max launch: Monitor Apple’s official pricing announcement, expected in the fall, to gauge consumer reaction to the projected $250‑$300 increase.
• M7 Ultra reveal: Watch Apple’s hardware event later this year for confirmation of the M7 Ultra specs and its impact on the AI‑chip market.

Apple’s aggressive legal stance highlights the growing value of proprietary hardware know‑how in the AI era, while its ability to sustain revenue growth despite looming price hikes suggests a resilient brand—but the outcome of the lawsuit could reshape how AI firms source hardware expertise.