The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) accidentally published secret schematics of Apple’s iPhone 16e online. These documents included a 163-page PDF with technical details, electrical schematics, and product specifications that Apple had asked to be kept confidential indefinitely.
Apple had submitted these sensitive files to the FCC as part of the required testing and certification process for selling its device in the US. The company clearly marked the documents as confidential and proprietary trade secrets. However, a mistake in the FCC’s database settings caused the files to be automatically published despite Apple’s request.
Though the iPhone 16e has been on sale since earlier this year, these schematics give competitors and repair experts deep insight into Apple’s hardware design, board layouts, and antenna locations — information that would normally be hard to guess just by opening the phone.
Apple is protective of its intellectual property and may take legal action, but no official comments have come from Apple or the FCC yet. Experts think this leak happened by error, possibly due to a glitch in the FCC system.
This incident highlights the risks tech companies face when submitting confidential documents to regulators, even with precautions in place.