Apple is a notoriously secretive firm, and a stop and desist letter just lately acquired by Motherboard sheds new gentle on precisely why, arguing that leaks hurt accent makers, shoppers, and Apple itself.

The C&D order reportedly despatched to a Chinese citizen by Apple’s attorneys in China, says that leaks about Apple’s iPhone dimensions might mislead case producers, who may make equipment which are incompatible with the ultimate product. As Apple places it, “third-party accessory manufacturers may develop and sell mobile phone cases and other accessories that are not actually compatible with the unreleased products.” Motherboard notes that the marketplace for Apple equipment is estimated to be price virtually $20 billion worldwide.

Apple additionally says that leaked data prevents the corporate from with the ability to shock and delight shoppers at launch occasions. “Apple has made every effort to take strict measures to maintain confidentiality for any information about Apple’s products before their official release to ensure that every time Apple releases a new product, it can surprise the public,” the letter reads. “The secret of Apple’s latest technological innovation is an important part of the company DNA.”

“Such situations harm the interests of consumers and Apple. Therefore, it is obvious that when the unpublished information about the design and performance of Apple’s products is kept confidential, it has actual and potential commercial value,” Apple’s letter reads.

The letter was despatched as a part of what seems to be a crackdown on the sale of prototypes of unannounced Apple merchandise on social media. These gadgets are allegedly stolen by manufacturing unit staff and offered to anybody that would profit, usually leading to details about the merchandise being made public far prematurely of their official bulletins.

Motherboard reports that the stop and desist letter it obtained was dated June 18th. It’s unclear what number of people had been despatched comparable letters, nevertheless it notes that the month coincides with the Twitter account of a vendor, who glided by the identify “Mr. White,” disappearing from the platform. Also in June, a leaker referred to as “Kang” revealed on Weibo that they’d obtained a discover from the corporate, and indicated that they’d cease posting about upcoming gadgets.

Beyond what Apple outlines in its letter, there are a bunch of explanation why firms are extensively understood to not need their unannounced plans to be made public. The launch of confidential product info may permit rivals to begin to develop copycat gadgets forward of time. And listening to that an upgraded system is on the way in which might make individuals much less possible to purchase an present mannequin, per the so-called “Osborne effect.”