Taiwan site sued for possibly slipping iPad part

A repeated source of Apple part leaks, Taiwan's Apple.pro, warned on Monday that it had been sued for allegedly leaking out an iPad 3's Dock Connector part. An unnamed supplier implied that the connector, which appeared in July last year, constituted a form of theft. The site said it hadn't taken the part and that it was obtained in mainland China, being brought to Taiwan later.

Criminal action has been level against leakers in the past, such as actions against iPad blueprint leaks. Until now, though, it wasn't a supplier making the part that was in action.

A lawsuit doesn't necessarily guarantee that the part is real, but using may have the opposite of the intended effect by both drawing attention to the original leak and giving it legitimacy. Numerous other Dock Connector leaks have also appeared that support the idea of Apple making minor changes as part of a newer overall design.

The lawsuit, if tied to an authentic part, is likely prompted by Apple's policies on secrecy and suppliers. Companies that either neglect to control leaks or willfully engage in them risk being cut off from future Apple contracts, which with Apple's size is often a major blow. The supplier may not be under any direct pressure from Apple given that it waited half a year to act, but it may be eager to save its reputation by proving that it can move when called on. [via MacRumors]

By Electronista Staff