Apple sues ex-employee, alleging theft of Apple Watch secrets for Oppo

Apple Accuses Former Employee of Stealing Watch Secrets for Oppo

In a startling legal salvo, Apple has filed a lawsuit against a former employee, Dr. Chen Shi, accusing him of systematically pilfering proprietary information concerning its coveted Apple Watch technology and subsequently handing it over to Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications, a formidable competitor in the burgeoning wearable device market.

Allegations of a Calculated Espionage Plot

The Cupertino tech giant’s complaint paints a grim picture of calculated betrayal. Dr. Shi, who once served as a key architect of Apple's sensor systems for the Watch division, is alleged to have conspired with his new employer to abscond with confidential data. This legal drama unfolds mere weeks after Apple leveled similar accusations against another ex-employee, Mr. Di Liu, a former senior engineer on the Vision Pro team, who is accused of sharing trade secrets with Snap.

A Shadowy Alliance Before Departure

According to the lawsuit, Dr. Shi’s clandestine dealings with Oppo's senior management allegedly commenced while he was still on Apple's payroll, as early as April. The complaint details how he purportedly leveraged his access to internal meetings with the technical team to meticulously gather sensitive Apple Watch intelligence. In a stunning display of alleged subterfuge, Dr. Shi is accused of downloading a staggering 63 confidential documents from the company's secure servers in the days leading up to his resignation on June 27th.

The Treasure Trove of Stolen Data

The stolen documents reportedly contained a wealth of critical information, including details about Apple's proprietary chips, insights into unreleased products and their innovative features, and granular technical specifications pertaining to the electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors. Apple has also pointed a finger at Dr. Zijian Zeng, Oppo's Vice President of Health, with whom Dr. Shi is said to have communicated. Zeng's alleged nonchalant reply – a simple "Okay" accompanied by an "OK" emoji – to Shi's message detailing his impending departure, his intent to resign, and his efforts to gather as much information as possible, is highlighted as damning evidence.

“I plan to start work on June 30th. I will inform my team about my resignation this week. I have also been reviewing various internal materials and having many 1:1 meetings recently to gather as much information as possible—I will share with you all later.”

A Desperate Attempt to Cover Tracks

Following his alleged data exfiltration, Dr. Shi is accused of making a concerted effort to erase any digital footprints. This includes a troubling pattern of search queries such as “how to delete data from MacBook” and “can someone check if I opened a file on a shared drive?” Furthermore, he allegedly deleted the folder containing the pilfered files from his work laptop after transferring it to an external USB drive. To compound matters, he reportedly misled colleagues about his departure, claiming he was returning to China to care for his aging parents – a narrative eerily similar to Dr. Liu's alleged reason for leaving his position.

Apple's Vigilance and Oppo's Defense

Apple claims its internal investigations, including a thorough review of file download logs and the contents of Dr. Shi's work MacBook and iPhone, exposed this elaborate scheme. In response to the allegations, Oppo has issued a firm statement, asserting, “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 conduct of the employee during their tenure 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 litigation, and we are confident that a fair legal proceeding will clarify the facts.”

Seeking Justice and Deterrence

Apple is now seeking a permanent injunction to prevent Oppo and Dr. Shi from utilizing its trade secrets. The tech giant is also demanding substantial compensation for financial damages and punitive measures to serve as a deterrent against future acts of industrial espionage. In a significant move, Apple has requested a jury trial to adjudicate this complex case.