BlackBerry has filed a lawsuit against keyboard case maker Typo Products, a startup cofounded and funded by television host Ryan Seacrest, for allegedly infringing on BlackBerry's keyboard patents.
Last month, Typo unveiled a keyboard case for the iPhone, which is scheduled to start shipping this month. Many publications, including this one, described it as an accessory that effectively turns the iPhone into a BlackBerry. It appears BlackBerry felt the same way.
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“This is a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard, and we will vigorously protect our intellectual property against any company that attempts to copy our unique design," Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry's general counsel and chief legal officer, said in a statement on Friday. "We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations.”
Typo did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.
Seacrest and his team said they were inspired to create the product because they were tired of carrying around an extra phone with a physical keyboard to type with.
"One night, Ryan and his friend Laurence Hallier, CEO of Show Media, were out to dinner and both had phones on the table. Two people, four phones," the startup said in a press release when it first launched. "They looked at each other and thought there was an easy solution to the problem, a keyboard for the iPhone."
Typo does not specifically refer to BlackBerry on its website.
Image: Typo Products