JAKARTA - Apple is suing its former engineer, Chen Shi, for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to Apple Watch sensor technology and giving them to Oppo, a Chinese competitor seeking to capture the smartwatch market.
In a lawsuit filed with the Northern California District Court on August 21, 2025, Apple accused Shi—who worked at the company from 2020 to early 2025 as a Sensor System Architect—of downloading 63 confidential files from a secure Apple folder on Box. The files were then transferred to a USB flash drive before Shi resigned and joined InnoPeak Technology, Oppo's research center in Palo Alto, USA.
The stolen documents allegedly contain core Apple Watch technology, including photoplethysmography (PPG), electrocardiogram (ECG) features, a proprietary temperature measurement method, and chip engineering documents and product roadmaps. Apple also revealed an internal conversation in which Shi wrote to Oppo's Vice President of Health that he was "gathering as much information as possible" from Apple. The Oppo executive reportedly only responded with an "OK" emoji.
Oppo told the South China Morning Post that it found no evidence linking the allegations to Shi's behavior during his time at the company. Oppo emphasized that it would cooperate with the legal process and is optimistic that the facts will be revealed.
This case highlights the vital importance of health sensors to Apple's strategy in the wearables market. Since 2018, the Apple Watch has offered an FDA-approved ECG app, which was later developed into an atrial fibrillation history feature. Temperature sensors and blood oxygen monitoring also make the smartwatch more than just a digital timepiece, but also a personal health device.
Apple asserts that the technology is the result of years of research, and leaking it to Oppo was tantamount to providing a roadmap to cut research costs. The lawsuit also alleges Shi's suspicious behavior, such as searching for a way to "wipe my MacBook clean" and "can people see if I open a file on a shared drive" when downloading documents.
If Apple wins, Oppo could be barred from using the technology related to the stolen documents. Shi also faces damages for breach of contract, and Apple could request a forensic audit to determine whether the data was used in Oppo products.
Beyond legal issues, this case also has geopolitical overtones. Oppo is owned by BBK Electronics—the parent company of Vivo and OnePlus—which the US has frequently accused of relying on Western talent to accelerate technological research.
For Apple, this case is not just a legal matter, but a betrayal. An engineer is believed to have been accused of copying core secrets before leaving for a competitor. This legal battle could determine the direction of Apple and Oppo's competition in the global smartwatch market.
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