Foxconn Employees Arrested, Charged with Leaking iPad 2 Details
Loose lips don't only sink ships, they can also land you in hot water. That's what three Foxconn employees are finding out after being arrested for allegedly leaking information about Apple's iPad 2 design ahead of the product's launch. Sound a bit harsh? Here's Foxconn's beef with the situation.
Citing a Chinese language sznews.com report, DigiTimes says the three men are accused of passing iPad 2 design details to third-party accessory companies in China. By doing so, online retailers were supposedly able to get a jump on Apple by selling iPad 2 protective gear before the iPad 2 was even released. These cases took into account the iPad 2's thinner profile, rear-facing camera, extended speaker grille, and the new location of the built-in microphone.
When revised iPad 2 cases began to appear on the market ahead of the second generation tablet's launch, Foxconn became suspicious of foul play and alerted local authorities. This ultimately led to the arrest of three employees charged with leaking the company's trade secrets.
Foxconn is a major supplier of Apple products, as well as for several other top tier companies. Back in 2009, Foxconn made headlines when a worker committed suicide after misplacing an unreleased iPhone 4 prototype. One of the sad realities is that Foxconn workers face intense pressure to keep up with the world's rabid demand for technology products. There were several reports in 2010 of Foxconn employees intentionally leaping to their death, prompting Apple, Dell, HP, and other clients to launch investigations into overseas working conditions.
Citing a Chinese language sznews.com report, DigiTimes says the three men are accused of passing iPad 2 design details to third-party accessory companies in China. By doing so, online retailers were supposedly able to get a jump on Apple by selling iPad 2 protective gear before the iPad 2 was even released. These cases took into account the iPad 2's thinner profile, rear-facing camera, extended speaker grille, and the new location of the built-in microphone.
When revised iPad 2 cases began to appear on the market ahead of the second generation tablet's launch, Foxconn became suspicious of foul play and alerted local authorities. This ultimately led to the arrest of three employees charged with leaking the company's trade secrets.
Foxconn is a major supplier of Apple products, as well as for several other top tier companies. Back in 2009, Foxconn made headlines when a worker committed suicide after misplacing an unreleased iPhone 4 prototype. One of the sad realities is that Foxconn workers face intense pressure to keep up with the world's rabid demand for technology products. There were several reports in 2010 of Foxconn employees intentionally leaping to their death, prompting Apple, Dell, HP, and other clients to launch investigations into overseas working conditions.
