BlackBerry suing Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram [News]

Wow ... CNET is reporting that BlackBerry is suing Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram. See link below.

https://www.cnet.com/news/blackberry...uckerberg-bbm/

Here is what it says in case you don't want to click the link. I don't fully understand what they are suing for though. The article doesn't really provide any details over what was infringed upon except for a small excerpt that it infringed intellectual property in the subtitle. I'm interested in seeing how this plays out.

BlackBerry's tired of waiting for Facebook's friend request. So it sued.

The Canadian phone maker sued the world's largest social network in Los Angeles court, according to a report from Reuters.

The suit, which is not yet available online, targets Facebook and its Instagram photo sharing app and WhatsApp messaging service, BlackBerry said in a statement. It came after what BlackBerry said was "several years of dialogue" with the social network.

"As a cybersecurity and embedded software leader, BlackBerry's view is that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could make great partners in our drive toward a securely connected future, and we continue to hold this door open to them," BlackBerry said.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

BlackBerry, which nearly a decade ago was one of the world's largest smartphone makers, has in the last several years retreated into supplying business software and services. Likewise, its software also powers many in-car systems, and the company is placing a bet on smart cars with partner and mobile chip giant Qualcomm.

BlackBerry phones remain, but only because Chinese consumer electronics maker TCL, best known for budget televisions, pays BlackBerry for the rights to use its name.

One of the core services found on its older phones is BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), a secure way to exchange text and images and early competitor to the likes of WhatsApp. BBM was an attractive form of global communication, particularly in countries where text message rates were high.

But in the years since, Facebook and its subsidiaries have become go-to services replacing many of BBM's functions. Facebook alone is the world's largest social network, with more than 2 billion people logging in each month. WhatsApp, meanwhile, has become a de facto text message replacement, garnering 1.5 billion active users, according to data compiled by Statista.

Mmm, patent trolling.

FB acquires Blackberry in a stock swap at $15, to enter the connected car space :)

The complaint in full: https://www.scribd.com/document/3731...rry-v-Facebook

great. the qualcomm money almost all gone. Chen need fill his pocket with new dollar... another 780 million? with inflation, 1 billion will just do (like his Boss' bond money when he brought BB)... Seriously, the damage are more, if BB got solid evidence, go after 1.5 to 2 B at least... (half of value of BB when Chen took over - majority of the BB10 down fall are attributed to facebook's copycat - whatapp... another 0.2 is wechat). IMHO. (go get enough money to build 5G web based replacement for app - using M-Mimo..).

Intellectual property rights are protected so let the courts decide. One cannot blame BlackBerry.

wow this is stupid.

So what is BlackBerry actually going after them for? I hope it's not any of Whisper Systems' stuff.

> Daniel Bader, managing editor at androidcentral.com, said BlackBerry has tried to rebuild its brand over last few years by co-operating with many of the tech giants.

After they blatantly declared their support for encryption backdoors, gave the RCMP their golden key, and didn't implement real encryption algorithms in their messaging services, they are dead to anyone who actually cares about security.

Ars Technica did a writeup on the relevant patents in the lawsuit.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...ging-concepts/

BlackBerry is asserting seven software patents against Facebook, and they're remarkably broad:

Patent 7,372,961 covers the concept of generating a cryptographic key by choosing a pseudorandom number and then checking if it is "less than order q prior to reducing mod q." If it is, the key is used. If not, another key is chosen at random and the process repeats.
Patent 8,209,634 covers the concept of using icons with numeric badges to signal the arrival of new messages.
Patent 8,279,173 covers the concept of tagging people in photos using an auto-completing search box.
Patent 8,301,713 covers the concept of marking a significant lull in a text message conversation by inserting a timestamp reflecting the time of the next message.
Patent 8,429,236 covers the concept of changing how a mobile device sends messages depending on whether they're being actively read by the recipient's device. For example, if updates aren't being read in real time, then the sending device may be able to conserve power by sending messages in batches rather than one at a time.
Patent 8,677,250 covers the concept of tying a messaging service and a game application together so that a user playing a game can send messages to contacts on the messaging app that includes updates on the player's progress in the game.
Patent 9,349,120 covers the concept of muting a message thread.

Sad on BB's part. They've all but abandoned their app and it hasn't been good for years. I guess after being outdone by the competition you've lost all your customers to the final thing to do is to sue to try and get some cash. Really pathetic.

Not seeing a ton of stuff that BB can actually lay claim to as "theirs"

I mean tagging a photo using auto complete? seriously, someone at BB has lost their damn mind

If you followed the Apple vs Samsung trials you know companies get patents years ago for what seems obvious now.

wonder if BB is in talks with Apple on iMessage. Google will prefer to cross-license and since BB is still committed to Android as a platform that would work for them.

For one thing, WhatsApp copied BBM's message delivery and read confirmation. By the way, their BB10 version was a Trojan horse to get BBM users to switch, then, they pulled the plug on it. Hope BlackBerry nails Zuckerberg big time!

BB, Still the One

It's quite possible that BB ends up having some of these patents invalidated. Just because you hold a patent on a concept doesn't mean the patent will stand up to scrutiny, and patents are intended to protect IMPLEMENTATIONS rather than concepts, so unless BB can prove that FB implemented these features in exactly the same way as BB did, they aren't likely to win.

It's likely that they're hoping for a settlement and licensing rather than years of court battles that, even if FB wins, will cost it a lot of money and effort to fight.

Originally Posted by Troy Tiscareno

patents are intended to protect IMPLEMENTATIONS rather than concepts, so unless BB can prove that FB implemented these features in exactly the same way as BB did, they aren't likely to win.

Maybe but I have read that the guy who patented intermittent windshield wipers still gets a royalty from every car made even though they likely all have different mechanisms.


BB, Still the One

I can't see any judge/jury forcing Facebook, Whatsapp or Instagram to shutdown. I think it would be funny if they did. I do use those apps too, but I would get a good laugh if that is what happens. I know the chances are slim to nil and I believe BlackBerry is just asking for financial compensation.

I know many are saying that a number of the patents will be invalidated or tossed out, but there has got to be some validity to these claims or BlackBerry wouldn't waste the time and money going after it. After all, the defendants have significantly large pockets and can easily fight this thing to the end. BlackBerry does have decent cash on hand, but not nearly enough to take on something with a minimal chance of succeeding. So, it would seem to me that they are on to something.

Looking forward to seeing how this all unfolds.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/415...-patent-battle

looks promising for BB. Facebook platform is in danger... better settle fast rather than go to the court process - 1 or 2 B will do for now will end up 3-4 B...

Wow. Would definitely be interesting to know the outcome of this one.

ClassicSQC100-1/10.3.3.2163

BlackBerry would have to take every popular instant messaging app to court with this logic. Heck even Twitter is all blue like FB and Outlook.

Long overdue.... well done CEO Chen... Let's see $5billion from this one..sends out message to others...

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by stlabrat

https://seekingalpha.com/article/415...-patent-battle

looks promising for BB. Facebook platform is in danger... better settle fast rather than go to the court process - 1 or 2 B will do for now will end up 3-4 B...

After reading the article you linked, I would not come to such a conclusion.

In my opinion, BlackBerry has strong infringement arguments for most of these asserted patents. However, Facebook is likely to have strong defenses that the patents are invalid. Many of the asserted claims are extremely broad, and Facebook is likely to be able to find similar prior art for many of these claims.

in

Originally Posted by world traveler and former ceo

Long overdue.... well done CEO Chen... Let's see $5billion from this one..sends out message to others...

Yeah, that could be the outcome. Or BlackBerry could have several of its patents invalidated, and watch what happens to the stock price in that scenario.

well, sue twitter is a lost course: no money. facebook is different story... depend upon what BB has as background material, there is a chance (prior art before 2003 patent date are limited based on my knowledge... facebook has to dig deep to find out any)... Let's discovery phase begin (better read than novel... did my geeky tail show? sorry).

Originally Posted by drobbie

Intellectual property rights are protected so let the courts decide. One cannot blame BlackBerry.

Agree. Happy to hear BlackBerry are suing.

Really can't feel sorry for Facebook, sorry.