BlackBerry Sues Ryan Seacrest’s Typo iPhone Keyboard Case Startup

BlackBerry today announced that it had filed a suit in the Northern District of California against Typo, the Ryan Seacrest funded Keyboard Case for iPhone. Typo announced last month that it was available for pre-order allowing you to type faster and with less typos on your iPhone.
BlackBerry argues the case violates their intellectual property rights and BlackBerry's patented ‘iconic’ keyboard design, which it will protect from copying and infringement.

“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. From the beginning, BlackBerry has always focused on offering an exceptional typing experience that combines a great design with ergonomic excellence. 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,” said Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry's General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer.

The Typo Keyboard violates BlackBerry's intellectual property rights, and BlackBerry will protect those rights from blatant copying and infringement. BlackBerry’s iconic physical keyboard designs have been recognized by the press and the public as a significant market differentiator for its mobile handheld devices.

Check out the Typo Keyboard (left) and the BlackBerry Keyboard (right). Do you think BlackBerry has a case against Typo?

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