BlackBerry Sues Social Media Apps Over Messaging Patents

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BlackBerry sues social media apps Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram for allegedly copying its core concepts in mobile messaging app design.

These social media apps used the concept of its messaging app design for their benefit. According to BlackBerry, the company’s proprietary and patent-protected messaging product BlackBerry Messenger, commonly known as BBM, was a cornerstone in modern mobile communication.

The company is contending that its intellectual property has been infringed upon by Facebook. That Facebook is “using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry’s products such a critical and commercial success in the first place.”.

On December 2016 BlackBerry sold the rights to Chinese multinational TLC. These rights include the design, manufacture, and sale of BlackBerry branded products. This leaves BlackBerry in charge of the company’s software and mobile security products.

BlackBerry sues Facebook for infringing its patent. This patent covers displaying a count of unread messages on a notification dot.

These patents also cover cryptographic techniques to protect user privacy. It also covers the mixing of mobile gaming and mobile messaging. These patents also cover the now-obiquitous user interface elements of mobile messaging products.
Blackberry is asking for redress for the harm caused by social media apps Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram for their unlawful use of its intellectual property. The redress may include injunctive relief and monetary damages, according to the complainant.

According to the statement given to Cheddar by Facebook Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal, “BlackBerry’s suit reflects the current state of its messaging business. Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, BlackBerry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. We intend to fight.”

This law suit of BlackBerry against the social media apps Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram may one way or the other affect their users. It may cause confusion among them and most probably instill doubts on them as to the efficiency of these social media apps’ services. Hopefully this problem will be resolved soon. And that both the complainant and the defendants of this case will be given justice. That both parties will gain from it. And that justice will be served where it is due.