Apple has initiated legal proceedings against a former employee, Chen Shi, and Oppo, alleging the misappropriation of trade secrets related to the Apple Watch. The lawsuit claims that Shi, a former Sensor System Architect, conspired with Oppo to steal confidential information.
According to the legal filing, Chen Shi was employed by Apple from January 2020 to June 2025, specifically working on the Apple Watch. The lawsuit alleges that Shi began seeking employment with Oppo as early as April 2025, while still employed at Apple. Apple claims Shi did not disclose his intentions to join Oppo when he announced his departure, instead stating he was returning to China to care for his parents and had no immediate employment plans.
Apple’s lawsuit further details that Shi allegedly held numerous meetings with Apple Watch team members to gather information regarding their work on various sensor technologies. These included “optical sensors, temperature sensors, and ECG sensors,” as stated in the lawsuit. Apple contends these meetings were part of a deliberate effort to acquire proprietary information.
The lawsuit also alleges that, prior to his departure, Shi downloaded 63 files from a protected Apple folder and transferred them to a USB drive. Subsequently, Apple claims Shi conducted online searches for “how to wipe out [a] macbook” and “can somebody see if I’ve opened a file on a shared drive?” These searches, according to Apple, suggest an attempt to conceal his actions.
Apple’s legal complaint includes the claim that Shi communicated to future Oppo employers his intention to “collect as much information as possible” regarding Apple’s health-sensing technologies. This communication, according to the lawsuit, demonstrates a clear intent to acquire and share Apple’s trade secrets.
In response to Apple’s lawsuit, Oppo issued a statement to MacRumors, asserting that they have “found no evidence establishing any connection between these allegations and the employee’s conduct during his employment at OPPO.” The company further stated that OPPO has not “misappropriated Apple’s trade secrets.”
This legal action is not an isolated incident. Apple previously sued a design engineer earlier this summer, alleging the theft of trade secrets related to the Vision Pro, which were then purportedly shared with Snap, his new employer. The company has stated that it takes strong measures to protect its intellectual property from unlawful use.
