BlackBerry is suing Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp over IM patents
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BlackBerry is suing Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp over allegations that the Social Media firm’s messaging apps infringe on its preexisting copyrights for messaging apps.
The firm alleges that concepts in its BBM (Blackberry Messenger) app have been reproduced in Facebook’s messaging apps, including broad elements like tagging friends and family in photos, notification alerts on icons, and message timestamps.
The firm wants the court to grant it “redress for the harm caused by Defendants’ unlawful use of BlackBerry’s intellectual property”.
Facebook’s response, given via a statement to Cheddar on Twitter was appropriately dismissive.
“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.”
It’s hard to see what claim BlackBerry could possibly have here, especially when directed at elements that some would consider ubiquitous which are duplicated among a range of apps, and not simply Facebook. As it plays out legally, we’ll have to wait and see.
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