When China jailed three people for leaking details of soon-to-be launched Apple gadget

Three Foxconn R&D employees in China were sentenced to prison for leaking details about the iPad 2 before its launch. The employees received sentences ranging from one year to 18 months and were fined between $4,500 and $23,000 for violating trade secrets. The arrests, which took place in December 2010, highlight Apple’s aggressive stance on protecting its product secrecy. It also shows how importamt it is for the largest manufacturer of Apple’s product to ensure this secrecy around the company’s products.

The three Foxconn employees reportedly provided digital images of the iPad 2’s design to Shenzhen MacTop Electronics, an Apple-compatible accessory manufacturer founded in 2004. In exchange, MacTop paid the employees 20,000 yuan (approximately $3,000) and offered discounts on its products.