BlackBerry today announced that it is suing Facebook, and its subsidiaries; Instagram and WhatsApp under the ground that these apps copied features like unread count from BlackBerry’s proprietary and patent-protected Messenger app, known as BBM.
BlackBerry claims that Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram apps are using a number of security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry’s products that brought the critical success for BlackBerry. With BlackBerry selling the rights to design, manufacture, and sell BlackBerry-branded phones to Chinese multinational TCL in 2016, BlackBerry is now in charge of software and mobile security products.
BlackBerry accuses Facebook of copying its cryptographic techniques to protect user privacy, mixing mobile gaming and messaging experience, and user-interface elements like notification design, message timestamps, and tagging friends feature. BlackBerry with its lawsuit is seeking to address the pressing issue caused by Facebook. BlackBerry in 2017 sued Nokia alleging infringement of patents relating to 3G and 4G wireless communications technology.
Facebook commenting on the BlackBerry lawsuit said:
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.