Oppo can’t get accusations of Apple Watch trade secret theft dismissed
appleinsider.com Oct 1, 2026

Oppo can’t get accusations of Apple Watch trade secret theft dismissed

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

A U.S. federal judge denied Oppo’s motion to dismiss Apple’s lawsuit alleging that former Apple engineer Chen Shi stole Apple Watch trade secrets and shared them with the Chinese smartphone maker. Apple claims Shi downloaded 63 confidential documents and held numerous meetings with the Watch team just days before leaving, then transferred the files to a USB drive to secure a lucrative position at Oppo. Judge Eumi Lee found Apple’s breach‑of‑contract allegations sufficient to proceed and noted that the plaintiff identified at least one specific trade secret, rejecting Oppo’s argument that the term was overly broad. The ruling allows Apple to seek damages and an injunction, while Oppo and its partner InnoPeak must file a defense by Oct. 21, 2026 after previously delaying discovery compliance.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · The decision clears the path for Apple to enforce its IP protections against a major Chinese competitor, testing how aggressively U.S.
  • · courts will curb cross‑border talent poaching in high‑tech sectors.