Key Takeaways
1. Apple has filed a lawsuit against former employee Chen Shi for allegedly stealing confidential information related to the Apple Watch before joining Oppo.
2. Shi reportedly downloaded 63 protected documents and transferred them to a USB drive just before leaving Apple, claiming he was returning to China for family reasons.
3. A message exchange between Shi and Oppo’s Vice President suggests Shi was gathering information with Oppo’s knowledge, raising concerns about corporate espionage.
4. Oppo has denied any wrongdoing, stating they found no evidence connecting Shi’s actions to their company and respect the trade secrets of all companies, including Apple.
5. Apple has a history of monitoring employees and has faced previous lawsuits related to employee surveillance, which may impact the current case.
Last week, on August 22, Apple took legal action in federal court against a former employee, accusing him of stealing confidential information. This individual was said to have taken data from the Apple Watch division before moving to Oppo. In response, the Chinese tech company has stated that they found no evidence supporting Apple’s claims.
Background on the Allegations
According to a report by Bloomberg on the same day, Chen Shi, a former sensor system architect at Apple, intended to join Oppo but did not disclose this to his employer. Instead, he told Apple he was returning to China to care for his parents. Prior to his departure, Shi attended multiple meetings to collect data on health-related research and allegedly downloaded 63 protected documents late at night. Moreover, it was reported that he transferred these files to a USB drive just a day before he left.
Communication Revealed
Adding to the situation, a message exchange between Shi and Oppo’s Vice President of Health has come to light. In this conversation, Shi mentioned he was gathering as much information as possible, and the VP responded with an OK emoji. Apple contends that Oppo was aware of Shi’s plans and even encouraged his actions. Shi has reportedly begun working at Oppo’s research unit located in Silicon Valley.
Oppo’s Official Response
In an email to Android Authority, Oppo provided an official statement regarding the lawsuit. The statement reads:
“We are aware of the recent lawsuit filed by Apple in California and have carefully reviewed the allegations in Apple’s complaint. We have found no evidence establishing any connection between these allegations and the employee’s conduct during his employment at OPPO.
OPPO respects the trade secrets of all companies, including Apple, and OPPO has not misappropriated Apple’s trade secrets. OPPO will actively cooperate with the legal process, and we are confident that fair judicial proceedings will clarify the facts.”
In the past, Apple has faced accusations of monitoring its employees, given its policy that allows for “physical, video, and electronic surveillance,” along with searching both Apple and non-Apple devices on “company premises.” A lawsuit from Amar Bhakta was filed in December of the previous year, but it’s uncertain what the current status is. Bhakta continues to work at Apple as a Digital Ad Tech and Operations Manager. Given this context, it is not surprising that Apple has a record of the message exchange, whether it occurred on a company device or a personal one. If the claims prove to be true, this could escalate into a significant case of corporate espionage.
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