Apple Sues Ex-Employee Who Allegedly Stole Apple Watch Secrets for Chinese Rival Oppo

Apple today filed a lawsuit in Northern California against Chen Shi, a former employee who left Apple and took a job at Chinese smartphone maker Oppo. According to Apple, Shi stole trade secrets relating to Apple Watch development and provided the information to Oppo.

Shi was a “highly compensated Sensor System Architect” at Apple from January 2020 to June 2025, which meant he had access to “valuable trade secret information,” including the Apple Watch design, development documentation, internal specifications, and product roadmap.

Apple says that Shi told the company he was returning to China to care for his elderly parents, with no mention that he had accepted a position at Oppo. While in the process of leaving Apple, Shi allegedly collected sensitive Apple Watch documents and attended “dozens” of one-on-one meetings with Apple Watch technical team members to “learn about their ongoing research and development efforts.”

Three days before leaving Apple, Shi downloaded 63 files from Apple’s protected Box folder and transferred them to a USB drive. After downloading the files, he searched for information on how to wipe a MacBook and whether someone could see if he’d opened a file on a shared drive. Further, Shi sent a message to his Oppo employers letting them know that he would “collect as much information as possible” to share with them, specifically sourcing data on heart rate sensing methods. At Oppo, Shi is now leading a team that is developing sensing technology.

Apple is asking for an injunction prohibiting Oppo and Shi from using or disclosing Apple’s trade secrets, restitution, damages, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees.

This article, “Apple Sues Ex-Employee Who Allegedly Stole Apple Watch Secrets for Chinese Rival Oppo” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Read More

Apple Lawsuits, Oppo

MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors – All Stories

Donate To AddressDonate Via Wallets

• Bitcoin
• Ethereum
• Monero

Donate Bitcoin to The Bitstream

Scan the QR code or copy the address below into your wallet to send some Bitcoin to The Bitstream

Tag/Note:- Send Bitcoin (BTC)

Reveal QR Code

Donate Ethereum to The Bitstream

Scan the QR code or copy the address below into your wallet to send some Ethereum to The Bitstream

Tag/Note:- Send Ethereum (ETH)

Reveal QR Code

Donate Monero to The Bitstream

Scan the QR code or copy the address below into your wallet to send some Monero to The Bitstream

Tag/Note:- Send Monero (XMR)

Reveal QR Code

Donate Via Wallets

Select a wallet to accept donation in ETH BNB BUSD etc..

• 
  MetaMask
• 
  Trust Wallet
• 
  Binance Wallet
• 
  WalletConnect