BlackBerry Sues Twitter Over Patent Infringement Of Messaging Tech

Dhir Acharya - Feb 28, 2019

BlackBerry has accused Twitter of illegally using its mobile messaging tech. The former phone giant filed a lawsuit on Wednesday regarding this matter.

In the filing, BlackBerry called Twitter a “relative newcomer,” saying that the social network implements its technology in different services which include Twitter Ads and Twitter app. There are six patents involved in BlackBerry’s filing covering several features such as push technology, silencing notifications, and notifications which the phone maker said has deprived it of revenue.

The complaint is 98 pages long, emphasizing that Twitter has drawn BlackBerry’s consumers from its products and services with BlackBerry’s own inventions. The company blames Twitter for its downhill.

The lawsuit was submitted to US District Court for Central California with which the former phone maker wants to get compensation for revenue loss and unspecified damages.

Twitter refused to give any comment on the incident.

Almost ten years ago, BlackBerry stood among the largest smartphone manufacturers across the globe. The company’s devices came with a key service called BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), this is a closed platform for exchanging messages as well as images and one of the first competitors of WhatsApp.

BBM interface

Over the years, however, users have switched to using texting services and messaging features on social media instead of BBM.

Today, even though we still see BlackBerry phones sold in the market, it is actually because TCL, a Chinese consumer electronics producer, pays the company to use the name BlackBerry.

Last year in March, a similar lawsuit was filed against Facebook that also involved messaging, accusing the social giant of using its technology for Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Founded in January 1999, BlackBerry made smartphones, tablets, and provided services. In September 2013, the company hit its peak of success with 85 million subscribers around the world. But ever since, iOS and Android platforms have taken over its dominant position with only 23 million subscribers left in March 2016.