Apple slams former worker for defecting with trade secrets, says China's Oppo backed the betrayal

Apple sues Oppo: Apple is taking Chinese smartphone maker Oppo to court, accusing it of using a former Apple Watch engineer steal confidential technology and walk away with sensitive health-sensing research, as per a report. The lawsuit is against both Oppo and the ex-Apple employee.

Apple Alleges Oppo Encouraged Ex-Employee to Steal Confidential Data

In a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday in San Jose, Apple claims that Chen Shi, a former Sensor System Architect, secretly downloaded internal documents before leaving the company in June to join Oppo’s US-based research arm, InnoPeak, as reported by Android Police.

Chen Shi's Online Searches Raise Red Flags

Apple alleges that Shi knowingly accessed proprietary data with Oppo’s encouragement, and tried to cover his tracks, according to the report. Before downloading the files, Shi allegedly searched online for “how to wipe out [a] macbook” and, in the middle of downloading information from Apple’s shared drives, he searched, "Can somebody see if I’ve opened a file on a shared drive?" reported Android Police, citing Apple's complaint.


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Apple Says Chen Shi Misled Colleagues About His Departure

According to Apple’s filing, Shi had concealed his plans to join Oppo by telling colleagues he was returning to China to care for his parents, according to the report. But Apple claims he had already accepted a job and was actively collecting information before his departure, as per the Android Police report.

Apple claims Shi attended dozens of one-on-one meetings with Apple Watch technical team members in his final days to gather research, all while hiding his intentions, according to the report.

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Secret Meetings and Internal Messages Cited in Apple Lawsuit

The lawsuit states that, "Concealing his impending employment with a direct competitor, Dr. Shi set up and attended dozens of one-on-one meetings with Apple Watch technical team members to learn about their ongoing research," as quoted in the report.

The tech giant's filing also cites a message Shi allegedly sent to Oppo’s Vice President of Health before he left Apple, reportedly saying, "I've been reviewing various internal materials and doing a lot of 1:1 meetings in an effort to collect as much information as possible—will share with you all later," as quoted by Android Police. The reply of Oppo’s Vice President of Health, according to Apple, was “alright” with an OK emoji, as reported by Android Police.

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Oppo Denies Any Wrongdoing

In a statement shared via WeChat, Oppo said it "will actively cooperate with the legal process," but denied Apple’s allegations, saying, "We have found no evidence establishing any connection between these allegations and the employee’s conduct during his employment at Oppo," as quoted in the report.

FAQs

What is Apple accusing Oppo of?
Apple claims Oppo helped a former Sensor System Architect steal confidential technology and health-sensing research.

Where is Chen Shi working now after leaving Apple?
Shi joined Oppo’s US-based research division, InnoPeak.