Confidential information detailing Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models, including supplier lists, component data and photographs, has been leaked online following a cyberattack on Tata Electronics, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter.
The files, which were reportedly posted on the dark web by the ransomware group World Leaks, contain sensitive information about Apple’s supply chain, potentially exposing details the company closely guards. The breach could also strain Apple’s relationship with Tata Electronics, one of its key manufacturing partners in India.
Tata Electronics supplies components for Apple and also assembles iPhones under contract. The company has become central to Apple’s strategy of expanding manufacturing beyond China, supporting India’s ambitions to become a global electronics manufacturing hub.
Apple is widely expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September.
The leak comes as Apple faces mounting cost pressures. Last week, the company increased prices for iPads and MacBooks due to rising memory and storage chip costs, while analysts expect iPhone prices to rise in the coming months.
Reuters had earlier reported that more than 200,000 files stolen from Tata Electronics were published on the dark web. Those files reportedly included design documents related to older iPhone components, Tesla parts, and records involving Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and Qualcomm, both major Apple suppliers.
According to newly reviewed documents, at least six files identify specific suppliers for numerous components used in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. These include chips on the main circuit board, as well as battery and camera components.
A source familiar with the matter said Apple considers the information highly sensitive because it links individual suppliers to unreleased products—details the company does not disclose in its public supplier database.
The leaked records cover hundreds of components and also reveal where Apple sources parts from multiple suppliers and where it relies on only a limited number of manufacturers, highlighting both its negotiating position and potential supply chain vulnerabilities.
Neither Apple nor Tata Electronics responded to Reuters’ requests for comment. Reuters said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the leaked data and was unable to immediately obtain a response from World Leaks, the ransomware group that claimed responsibility for the breach.
Technology news outlet AppleInsider first reported last week that documents related to the iPhone 18 Pro were among the leaked files.
Reuters previously reported that Apple is investigating the incident alongside Tata Electronics. Tata has restricted access to sensitive internal systems and appointed a global consultancy to conduct a forensic audit as part of its response.
Several leaked files reportedly carried Apple “confidential” watermarks and internal code names associated with the iPhone 18 Pro generation.
The leaked folder also included photographs dated early 2026 showing iPhones undergoing drop testing at a Tata manufacturing facility. The images depicted a grey smartphone featuring Apple’s logo and a triple rear-camera setup. Although Reuters could not independently confirm the exact model, the source said the devices shown were iPhone 18 Pro models.
The breach poses a significant challenge to the partnership between Apple and Tata, which has become increasingly important as Apple shifts production away from China.
According to research firm Counterpoint, India is expected to manufacture 26pc of the world’s iPhones in 2026, up from just 6pc four years earlier.
