Canada-based BlackBerry has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Facebook and its subsidiaries Instagram and WhatsApp. This is based on the allegations that the former has co-opted BlackBerry’s mobile messaging technology, using features such as battery-efficient statues updates, integrated mobile messaging in games, and other user interface features. The company is seeking an injunction against…
Canada-based BlackBerry has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Facebook and its subsidiaries Instagram and WhatsApp. This is based on the allegations that the former has co-opted BlackBerry’s mobile messaging technology, using features such as battery-efficient statues updates, integrated mobile messaging in games, and other user interface features. The company is seeking an injunction against Facebook, which in other words means that it wants Facebook to cease operation of its social media and messaging apps along with WhatsApp and Instagram. BlackBerry also wants Monetary damages because of Facebook’s “willful infringement”.
According to BlackBerry, “As a cybersecurity and embedded software leader, BlackBerry’s view is that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp could make great partners in our drive toward a securely connected future, and we continue to hold this door open to them. However, we have a strong claim that Facebook has infringed on our intellectual property, and after several years of dialogue, we also have an obligation to our shareholders to pursue appropriate legal remedies.”
BlackBerry is claiming that Facebook and its companies are using mobile-messaging applications which infringe on a number of its patents. These patents allegedly cover security, user interface features, battery-efficient status updates, and integrating mobile messaging in games. The company further argued by saying that these features are all invented by BlackBerry and are “table stakes” for the modern mobile messaging and social networking platform. To prove its point, the company is citing Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp that took place for $19 billion.
Facebook obviously believes these claims to be outlandish and a poor attempt by the company to bank on the success of others. The company is not ready to settle just yet and will follow through with the legal proceedings. Paul Grewal, Facebook’s deputy general counsel said in a statement, “BlackBerry’s suit sadly 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.”
The main issue in this legal battle seems to be over how Facebook’s messaging services look and operate. The BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) was at one time, one of the most popular messaging services out there. WhatsApp ended up taking over and has garnered almost 1.5 billion active users. On the other hand, Facebook itself gets more than 2 million people logging in each month, while Instagram gets nearly 800 million monthly traffic.
This is not the first time the company has taken another to court over some or the other infringement issue. In February of 2017, Blackberry filed a similar patent infringement lawsuit against Nokia, which claimed the Finnish company had infringed on 11 of its patents. That case is reportedly still pending in court. On the other hand, BlackBerry last year reached a settlement with Qualcomm under which the former agreed to pay $940 million to BlackBerry in order to resolve a dispute over royalty payments.
The Canada-based manufacturer has not always seen such success as last year the company had to accept the ruling of the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration where it awarded Nokia approximately $137 million. Nokia had filed a claim over certain payments that BlackBerry owed under a patent licence contract. BlackBerry commented saying that it disagreed with the court’s decision but intended to “vigorously pursue” the previously mentioned patent infringement case.
BlackBerry was once the worlds largest smartphone maker. Now, the company has retreated into supplying software and services for corporate and government clients. The company’s QNX software powers many in-car systems, and the company is even getting involved with smart cars in collaboration with Qualcomm. The only reason the company is still in the mobile phone business is because of its move to Android-based smartphones. Even then the company just handles the software side of things, while TCL manufactures the hardware.
