Looks like Apple fans could be in for a surprise. Recently, Apple sued a former employee who stole Apple Watch technology secrets that were later passed on to OPPO. So, what should you know about it?

OPPO might have a role in this controversy

For your information, Apple also claims that the former employee's industrial espionage activities were encouraged by OPPO. The lawsuit was filed in California against Chen Shi.

In case you didn’t know, he previously held the position of sensor system architect at Apple from January 2020 to June 2025.

Additionally, this enabled him to access and observe the development of new technologies designed for the Apple Watch. Plus, Shi told Apple he wanted to return to China to take care of his elderly parents.

However, he did not share that he had accepted a job offer at Oppo and is now leading the company's sensor system development team based in Shenzhen.

What did Shi do?

Three days before quitting Apple, Shi downloaded 63 files from the Apple folder onto a USB drive. He then searched the internet for how to wipe a MacBook and whether viewing files from a shared drive could be traced by others.

Later, Shi sent a message to OPPO saying he would gather as much information as possible. This year, Apple filed a lawsuit against prominent leaker Jon Prosser.

This man was responsible for revealing iOS 26 secrets and was also a former employee who stole Vision Pro secrets before moving to Snap.

OPPO's statement on the lawsuit

The company is aware of the recent lawsuit filed by Apple in California and has carefully reviewed the allegations in Apple's complaint.

However, OPPO have found no evidence establishing any connection between these allegations and the employee's conduct during his employment at the company.

Moreover, OPPO respects the trade secrets of all companies, including Apple, and OPPO has not misappropriated Apple's trade secrets.

Additionally, the company will actively cooperate with the legal process, and the company is confident that fair judicial proceedings will clarify the facts.

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