BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) announced today that they are suing Ontario-based Typo Products LLC, a startup backed by entertainment mogul Ryan Seacrest that manufactures the Typo Keyboard. The lawsuit alleges patent infringement and that Typo has illegally copied BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard with its iPhone(R) keyboard case that fits onto iPhone devices. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of California.
Once a dominant player in the cell phone industry, BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) has suffered from declining sales and market share the last couple of years, but the company still has a strong patent portfolio to fall back on.
Statement from Blackberry
BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) released a statement earlier today outlining their position. “This is a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard, and we will vigorously protect our intellectual property against any company that attempts to copy our unique design. From the beginning, BlackBerry has always focused on offering an exceptional typing experience that combines a great design with ergonomic excellence. We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations,” said Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer.
More about Typo Products
Typo Products is a Canadian startup owned by entrepreneur Laurence Hallier and well-known TV host and entertainment figure Ryan Seacrest. BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s lawsuit was filed just days after Typo announced the Typo Keyboard(TM) would be available for pre-order in late January.
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