Apple iPhone 18 Pro supplier list, parts and photos revealed in Tata data leak

The exposure threatens the carefully negotiated deal to build the iPhone, which Apple assembles from a thicket of suppliers around the world (File) | Photo credit: REUTERS

Sensitive component and supplier lists and photos of the upcoming Apple iPhone 18 Pro models are among files posted on the dark web by a ransomware group that stole data from an Indian supplier of US firm Tata Electronics, according to documents and a source.

The revelation threatens the carefully negotiated business of building the iPhone, which Apple assembles from thickets of suppliers around the world. It could also damage Apple and its relationship with Tata, as most supply arrangements are fiercely protected by Apple, and it could also give competitors, counterfeiters and its own sellers a view of who makes what.

Tata, which supplies parts and assembles iPhones as a contract manufacturer, becomes one of Apple’s most important manufacturing partners outside China, an expansion that is a cornerstone of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bid to make India an electronics powerhouse. Apple is reportedly on track to release its iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September.

The leak comes at a difficult time for Apple, which last week raised the prices of iPads and MacBooks due to soaring memory and storage chip costs, with analysts expecting Apple to raise iPhone prices in the coming months. Reuters previously reported the leak of more than 200,000 Tata Electronics files on the dark web by World Leaks contained files purported to be design papers for components of older iPhones and parts of Tesla: both Tata clients.

They also included documents from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Qualcomm, both of which make parts used in iPhones. New documents reviewed by Reuters show that there are at least six files ‌ that map many of the components in the iPhone 18 Pro models to the specific company that supplies them. These include details of the chips on the main circuit board and parts of the battery and cameras.

Apple considers the detail sensitive and is concerned about the documents being shared on the dark web because they relate to unreleased models, according to a person familiar with the matter. The data maps suppliers of iPhone parts that Apple does not disclose in its public database of suppliers, the person added.

In total, the documents detail hundreds of parts that are expected to be on the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models.

The records also show where Apple sources parts from multiple suppliers and where it relies on just a few, exposing both its bargaining leverage and its vulnerabilities.

Spokesmen for Apple and Tata did not respond to questions from Reuters. World Leaks has previously claimed responsibility for the Nike hack. Reuters did not verify the authenticity of the data and could not immediately reach World Leaks for comment.

News website AppleInsider first reported last week that iPhone 18 Pro documents were part of the Tata leak. Reuters previously reported that Apple is investigating the matter and is working with ‌Tata on long-term measures. While investigating the leak, Tata restricted internal access to sensitive systems and hired a global consultant to conduct a forensic audit.

Several of the leaked files contained Apple’s “confidential” watermarks and internal Apple codenames consistent with the iPhone 18 Pro generation, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Inside the iPhone 18 ⁠Pro file folder are photos of iPhones undergoing drop tests at one of Tata’s factories in early 2026. They showed a conventional slate, gray phone with a triple rear camera setup and an Apple logo.

Reuters could not identify the phone’s model number for sure, but the source said the photos were from iPhone 18 Pro models.

For Apple and Tata, the disruption erodes the trust that underpins their partnership. Apple’s move into India rests on its newest major assembly business, Tata, just as the company increasingly diversifies outside of China.

The bet quickly paid off: India is on track to make 26% of the world’s iPhones in 2026, up from 6% four years ago, according to research firm Counterpoint.

Published – 30 Jun 2026 09:53 IST