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苹果状告OPPO高管窃密,离职前夜打包63份文件U盘带走
AppleApple(US:AAPL) 36氪·2025-08-24 09:00

Core Viewpoint - Apple has filed a lawsuit against former Apple Watch sensor architect Chen Shi for allegedly stealing trade secrets before joining Chinese smartphone manufacturer OPPO, which could undermine Apple's competitive advantage in wearable technology [3][7][12]. Group 1: Incident Details - Chen Shi worked as a sensor system architect for Apple Watch from January 2020 to June 2025, earning a monthly salary of $28,000 and was involved in the development of confidential technologies [6]. - Before leaving Apple, Chen Shi misled the company about his intentions, claiming he would return to China to care for his elderly parents and not seek new employment, while he had already accepted a position at OPPO [7]. - Evidence presented in court indicates that Chen Shi held numerous one-on-one meetings with Apple Watch team members to gather information on ongoing research and secretly downloaded 63 confidential files, including critical design documents and algorithms, just days before his departure [8][10]. Group 2: Implications for Apple - Apple argues that allowing Chen Shi and OPPO to benefit from this behavior would jeopardize its commitment to innovation and the value of its trade secrets, potentially giving competitors an unfair advantage [12]. - The health sensor technology is a cornerstone of Apple's market dominance in wearables, with the Series 9 model contributing 62% of the revenue for Apple's wearables division in 2024 [16]. - Apple emphasizes that the algorithms behind its sensor technologies are the result of extensive clinical validation and development, and any leakage could significantly reduce competitors' R&D costs and timelines [17]. Group 3: OPPO's Developments - Chen Shi is now leading a sensor technology development team at OPPO's Silicon Valley research center, where the company has made significant advancements in health tracking technology [11][19]. - OPPO's health tracking capabilities have improved dramatically since acquiring InnoPeak Technology, with their prototype showing a blood oxygen monitoring accuracy that closely resembles Apple's, with a deviation rate of only 1.2% [19]. - The lawsuit highlights a broader trend of employee poaching and trade secret theft involving Chinese companies, with Apple having initiated 17 employee-related lawsuits in the past five years, three of which involved criminal proceedings [20].