BlackBerry accuses Twitter of illegally using patented tech
BlackBerry took Twitter to court yesterday, where it accused the social media site of using six BlackBerry-owned patents in its mobile messaging apps without authorisation.
BlackBerry filed its patent suit yesterday, February 27, at the US District Court for the Central District of California, complaining that Twitter’s infringement has resulted in a “substantial and undeserved windfall” for the social media site.
“Defendant created mobile messaging applications that co-opt BlackBerry’s innovations, using a number of the innovative user interface and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry’s products such a critical and commercial success in the first place,” said the claim.
The allegedly infringed patents cover user interface improvements for mobiles, messaging and social network improvements for mobiles and mobile advertising.
According to Ontario-based BlackBerry, Twitter is a “relative latecomer” to the mobile messaging world and its use of BlackBerry’s inventions is diverting customers away from BlackBerry.
The suit added: “Defendant’s gain comes at BlackBerry’s expense, depriving BlackBerry of revenue to which it is entitled as a result of its inventions.”
In June 2017, BlackBerry reportedly contacted to Twitter to resolve the dispute. However, according to the Ontario-based company, Twitter refused to adequately compensate BlackBerry for the use of its IP.
Now, BlackBerry is seeking an injunction to stop Twitter using the technology, as well as damages and attorneys’ fees.
BlackBerry’s challenge is similar to suits it brought in March last year against Facebook and Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat. The suits were later joined.
Before the same court, BlackBerry claimed that the defendants had unlawfully used BlackBerry’s IP to compete against it in the mobile messaging space.
In August 2018, Facebook and Snap filed two motions to dismiss the case but the court allowed BlackBerry to pursue some of its claims. That case remains pending.
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