BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) was at its cutting-edge best when it included a patented tactile keyboard for its once-disruptive smartphones. The pioneering innovation of the Canada-based Blackberry phone makers remains unmatched by contemporary smartphone-makers who fall-short of ‘eclectic-design’ in their innovations.
Meanwhile, Typo Products LLC, a company part-owned by celebrity Ryan Seacrest, took the idea of tactile keyboards and made the Typo iPhone keyboard. This led to Blackberry filing a lawsuit against Typo in January, 2014. In all ‘likelihood’ that Blackberry’s patents were infringed, preliminary injunctions were issued by the US District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco, prohibiting the sale of the Typo iPhone keyboard.
However, circumventing the legal tussle, Typo quickly launched Typo 2, a tweaked version of the patented version, with slimmer case. IPhone 6 and iPhone 5/5S users are however the most happiest as they once again have the luxury and comfort of a physical keyboard to pound away!
Typo 2 not Seamless with Apple Pay
Despite, certain limitations that the tweaked tactile keyboard would come with, iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 iteration users who are dependent on the touch-based features are happy to find a keyboard based product. At its worst, they will have to switch physically from the Keyboard mode to use touch-dependent features such as the in-built Apple Pay feature currently available on the advanced iPhone iterations.
Typo 2 does not allow simultaneous use of Touch ID sensor or Apple Pay, because of the contrived positioning for the tactile keyboard. Typo 2 keyboards cost $79 for the iPhone 5/5s version and $99 for the iPhone 6. This can be a drawback, the convenience of a physical keyboard priced which is ‘price-friendly’ as well is a functional accessory most iPhone users would prefer indulge in, rather than pass!
There is more coming from Typo, as the keyboard maker is currently working on an iPad version to be available by next year. Although the preliminary injunctions are a set-back to Typo LLC, the company is all set to appeal, dismissing Blackberry’s patent claims as not worthy of merit!
