The Federal Communications Commission has seemingly leaked schematics for the iPhone 16e, despite Apple specifically requesting for them to be confidentially held.

For complex communications hardware to go on sale, it has to undergo testing and certification through regulators around the world. While typically a formality and involving many confidential elements, sometimes there can be leaks by mistake.

On Monday, a file was discovered that had been published by the FCC, and republished by FCCID.IO. The file in question was a 163-page PDF showing the electrical schematics for the iPhone 16e, described as the A3212, A3408, A3409, and A3410.

The problem with the document's release is that it seems that it was a mistake by the FCC itself.

A confidential snafu

A cover letter is also distributed alongside the schematics, addressed to the FCC and dated September 16, 2024. The letter from Apple is a request for the confidential treatment of documents that are filed with the FCC.

As well as hardware, companies often have to supply documentation to regulators as part of certification processes. This tends to include information that is of a commercially-sensitive nature that companies don't want to release to public scrutiny.

Apple and others therefore make requests to regulators to keep the highly confidential documents away from public view. While some documents are less of a problem for Apple and do eventually get publicly released, others are held back on a practically permanent basis.

The letter from Apple requests a series of documents are withheld from public viewing "indefinitely." The justification is that they contain "confidential and proprietary trade secrets" that are not disclosed to the public post-release, due to giving competitors an "unfair advantage."

The list of documents, Apple states, includes:

  • Block Diagrams
  • Electrical Schematic Diagrams
  • Technical Descriptions, Product Specifications
  • Antenna Locations
  • Tune-Up Procedure
  • Software Security Description.

Other documents, such as external and internal photographs, shots of the test setup, and the user manual, are deemed to be less damaging and have "short-term confidentiality" requirements. In those cases, Apple asks for short-term confidentiality for 180 days after the equipment authorization is granted by the FCC.

Possible, probable harm

The schematics are an interesting artifact of Apple's production processes, but not really that useful to consumers at all. There is little use in knowing the minutiae of how individual components connect and work with each other on such a detailed level.

To Apple, the real problem is the information getting into the hands of rival tech firms and smartphone producers.

It could be argued that the release of the schematic isn't a big issue since a competitor could simply buy and closely examine Apple's products to do the same thing. However, the schematic provides Apple's own knowledge on the construction without any guesswork on the matter.

Apple may also be able to deal with competitors using the information for themselves if they are part of patented concepts. Apple is a staunch defender of its intellectual property, and won't hesitate to try and stop others from using its ideas using a patent infringement lawsuit.

The FCC has yet to actually act on the discovery of the release, nor comment about the disclosure.

The most likely reason for its release is an incorrect setting in the FCC database that permitted the accidental publication. It is more likely to be an accident than an intentional FCC act against Apple.

However with the information now available on the Internet and already copied by interested parties, pulling the schematic won't undo any damage caused to Apple from the release.