BlackBerry settles case with iPhone keyboard maker Typo

BlackBerry is has settled its lawsuit against iPhone keyboard maker Typo. Typo made a series of accessory keyboards for the iPhone that emulated the look and feel of BlackBerrys popular QWERTY keyboard and gave users the ability to input with a physical keyboard. One of the terms of the settlement is that Typo will permanently discontinue the sale of keyboards for smartphones and mobile devices with screens that are less than 7.9 inches. This means they can make peripherals for larger devices.

Typo loses case against BlackBerry, ordered by jury to pay up $860,000 in damages

While we are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, we will not tolerate the deliberate use of our iconic design without proper permission. - BlackBerry

Typo needs to pay BlackBerry US $860,000 in damages according to a federal judge that ruled Typo had violated an injunction barring sales of its original iPhone keyboard case and continued to sell the product even after it was ordered to stop.

Typo makes keyboard cases for Apple's iPhone that add a tactile QWERTY keyboard for more precise typing. The original Typo keyboard copied the look and feel of BlackBerry's famed keyboard, including button shape as well as the metal frets that divide the rows of keys. These are designs that have long been recogniseable parts of BlackBerry devices.