The U.S. District court in San Francisco passed BlackBerry's preliminary injunction to impose a ban on Typo for infringing the smartphone maker's patented keyboard technology.
BlackBerry, one of the popular smartphone making companies, won a preliminary injunction on Friday to ban Ryan Seacrest's Typo Products from selling its $99 case that offers an additional keyboard for iPhone users. The U.S. District court in San Francisco approved BlackBerry's request after Typo failed to present suffice proof to show that it does not infringe Blackberry's keyboard technology.
Typo Products LLC, founded by popular TV show host and producer, Ryan Seacrest, unveiled its first product "Typo" in January. The $99 iPhone case is designed to slip onto iPhone 5 and 5S smartphones and offers a physical keyboard to its users. At first glance, the keyboard looks much like the ones found on BlackBerry's keyboard smartphones, but the company claimed they were different. Sadly, the U.S. District court thinks otherwise, which has resulted in the ban of Typo sales.
"BlackBerry is pleased that its motion for a preliminary injunction against Typo Products LLC was granted. This ruling will help prevent further injury to BlackBerry from Typo's blatant theft of our patented keyboard technology," a spokeswoman for BlackBerry said in an email sent to Reuters.
The court's ruling on Friday comes as great news to the Canadian smartphone maker, which is trying to revive its lost fame by bringing back the good-old physical keyboard in its handsets. Earlier in January, BlackBerry CEO John Chen, revealed his interest in the physical keyboards for smartphones. The company is also looking to launch a new model Q20 Classic later this year that will include BlackBerry's signature keyboard with 'Menu,' 'Back,' 'Send' and 'End' buttons.
As for Typo, the company is disappointed with the decision is planning to file an appeal. The ruling, however, will not stop Typo from making and selling "innovative products that busy people can't live without," Type said, according to Apple Insider.
