From PC Mag: BlackBerry is suing Facebook for patent infringement on the claim that the social media company's messaging services use BlackBerry intellectual property without permission.
Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram have all benefited from patented technology that was originally used for BlackBerry Messenger, the company said in a lawsuit filed in a California court on Tuesday.
The technologies include "cryptographic techniques" to secure the mobile messages and user interface improvements found in the application itself. Some are more basic, like a patent for the way icons can preview the number of unread messages you've received by displaying a tiny number.
In total, BlackBerry accuses Facebook of infringing on seven of its patents—all of which helped the social media giant pull customers away from BlackBerry's business, the lawsuit claims. "In many respects, through BlackBerry Messenger and other research and development, BlackBerry helped pioneer modern mobile messaging," according to BlackBerry.
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