According to Bloomberg, Apple has reached a settlement with Rivos, a startup specializing in System on a Chip (SoC) technology. This settlement comes after a lawsuit filed by Apple in 2022, accusing Rivos of trade secret theft.
Rivos, which had hired over 40 former Apple employees, including several high-ranking engineers, was accused by Apple of poaching employees and stealing chip trade secrets. The lawsuit was particularly focused on two engineers who allegedly took “gigabytes of sensitive SoC specifications and design files” during their last few days at Apple.
The Settlement
As part of the settlement, Rivos will undergo a forensic examination of its systems to ensure the removal of any confidential Apple information. This comes after allegations that the employees used USB drives and AirDrop to transfer sensitive Apple material to their personal devices, including presentations on unreleased SoCs.
Impact on the Tech Industry
This settlement could have significant implications for the tech industry, particularly for companies designing SoCs that would compete with Apple’s A-series and M-series chips. It serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and the potential legal consequences of not doing so.
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