3 Jailed in China for iPad 2 Leaks

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Apple junkies probably enjoy reading rumors and leaks about upcoming Apple products. However, this comes at a cost to Apple, with their trade secrets being revealed. Three people in China have paid dearly for leaking product specs and photos.

Leaks of upcoming devices cause techies excitement, but this means someone on the other side of the production line is feeding information to the media that might be damaging to the manufacturer they’re working for. This is just what Xiao Chengsong, Lin Kecheng and Hou Pengna were doing. The Chinese courts didn’t find the leaks amusing, though, and have sentenced the three to varying jail terms, ranging from 12 months to 18 months.

Not all three worked for OEM Foxconn — which produces iPads and iPhones for Apple. One worked for a local accessories manufacturer. Another worked for Foxconn, while one was the middleman. Apparently, taking photos of iPads in production prior to launch meant industrial espionage, and meted jail terms and hefty fines.

Apart from the issue on leaks, though, Foxconn has experienced some setbacks relating to explosions in some of its facilities. Still, for the rest of the world, it’s business as usual with our iPhones and iPads. So before drooling on the latest iPad leaks and rumors, think of the lengths people would go through just to get an extra buck and just to get a scoop.