Oppo responds to Apple's lawsuit on theft of trade secrets by former employee

Oppo

Apple recently filed a lawsuit in California accusing one of its former employees, Chen Shi, of stealing sensitive information about the Apple Watch and passing it to Chinese electronics maker OPPO and California-based InnoPeak Technology.

According to the complaint, Apple alleges that Shi “conspired to steal Apple’s trade secrets” during his employment and disclosed them to his new employers. The company claims the stolen information relates to Apple Watch technologies, an area that has been central to Apple’s push in wearables. Now, according to a report by Macrumors, Oppo has denied  any wrongdoing. In a statement shared with Macrumors,  Oppo said, "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 employee's conduct during his employment at Oppo."

Furthermore, the company said that it will cooperate with the legal proceedings. "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 legal process, and we are confident that fair judicial proceedings will clarify the facts," said the company in the statement.

InnoPeak Technology, which is based in California and focuses on smartphone research, is also named in the lawsuit. Apple has not yet disclosed the specific technologies or materials allegedly taken, but trade secret disputes in the wearable tech space are closely watched given the sector’s rapid growth and competitive pressures.