Ever wonder how those accessory manufacturers were able to have iPad 2 cases ready for sale before the device was unveiled publicly? Well three Foxconn employees probably looking to make a quick buck, apparently leaked the secret iPad 2 designs to several accessory companies in China, months before the revolutionary second generation tablet made its way to the public.
The three employees from the Foxconn’s Shenzhen plant, have been officially charged with leaking the iPad 2 design and violating Foxcon’s company’s trade secret agreement. The three suspects in question were originally arrested in December 2010, but were just formally charged with the crime last week.
Many small accessory manufactuers in China’s infamous Shenzhen district, started selling various iPad 2 cases and protective covers in early December. While most of the cases that leaked early did not end up matching the iPad 2′s design, a small number of them were an exact match. This initially awoke some suspicions at Foxconn, figuring that someone internally must of leaked the plans.
Foxconn has been a manufacturing partner of Apple for several years, and have helped build some of Apple’s famed devices like the iPad, iPad 2, and of course the iPhone.
[via DigiTimes]
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