Editing BlackBerry (section)

== History ==
[[File:Mike Lazaridis.jpg|thumb|[[Mike Lazaridis]] – Founder and former co-CEO of BlackBerry]]
[[Research in Motion]] (RIM), founded in [[Waterloo, Ontario]], first developed the [[Inter@ctive Pager]] 900, announced on September 18, 1996. The Inter@ctive Pager 900 was a [[Flip (form)|clamshell]]-type device that allowed two-way paging.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bbref.ca/900 |title=Inter@ctive Pager 900 |website=bbref.ca |access-date=January 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213150752/http://bbref.ca/900 |archive-date=February 13, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> After the success of the 900, the Inter@ctive Pager 800 was created for IBM, which bought US$10 million worth of them on February 4, 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://press.blackberry.com/press/1998/pressrelease-697.html |title=Research In Motion Signs $10 Million Contract To Supply Two-way Pagers To IBM |website=BlackBerry |access-date=September 3, 2015 |date=February 4, 1998}}</ref> The next device to be released was the Inter@ctive Pager 950, on August 26, 1998. The first device to carry the BlackBerry name was the BlackBerry 850, an email pager, released January 19, 1999. Although identical in appearance to the 950, the 850 was the first device to integrate email and the name Inter@ctive Pager was no longer used to brand the device.

The first BlackBerry device, the 850, was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager in Munich, Germany.<ref name="Davis">{{cite web |title=Short Take: BlackBerry wireless email device debuts |first=Jim |last=Davis |url=http://news.cnet.com/short-take-blackberry-wireless-email-device-debuts/2110-1040_3-220388.html |website=[[CNET]] |date=January 20, 1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522101747/http://news.cnet.com/short-take-blackberry-wireless-email-device-debuts/2110-1040_3-220388.html |archive-date=2013-05-22}}</ref> BlackBerry was a solution devised by RIM for delivering e-mail over several different wireless networks.<ref>{{cite web |title=BlackBerry Mobile Email Solution, Advanced Mobile Communications with RIM Wireless Products |url=http://www.rim.net/products/overview/index.html |publisher=Research in Motion |access-date=1 July 2022 |date=23 April 1999 |archive-date=April 23, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990423133133/http://www.rim.net/products/overview/index.html |url-status=deviated }}</ref> The name BlackBerry was coined by the marketing company [[Lexicon Branding]]. The name was chosen out of about 40 potential names, because of the resemblance of the keyboard's buttons to that of the [[drupe]]lets that compose the [[blackberry]] fruit, and the instant pronunciation which reflected the speed of this [[push email]] system.<ref>
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The original BlackBerry devices, the RIM 850 and 857, used the [[DataTAC]] network. In 2002, the more commonly known [[convergence (telecommunications)|convergent]] BlackBerry 5810 smartphone was released, which supports push email, mobile telephone, text messaging, [[Internet fax]]ing, [[Web browser|Web browsing]] and other wireless information services.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbscnw.com/a-short-history-of-the-blackberry.php |title=A short history of the BlackBerry |website=Bbscnw.com |access-date=October 3, 2013 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003165305/http://www.bbscnw.com/a-short-history-of-the-blackberry.php |archive-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref>

BlackBerry gained market share in the mobile industry by concentrating on email. BlackBerry began to offer email service on non-BlackBerry devices, such as the [[Palm Treo]], through the proprietary BlackBerry Connect software.

The original BlackBerry device had a [[monochrome]] display while newer models installed color displays. All newer models have been optimized for "[[thumb keyboard|thumbing]]", the use of only the [[thumb]]s to type on a keyboard. The Storm 1 and Storm 2 include a [[SureType]] keypad for typing. Originally, system navigation was achieved with the use of a scroll wheel mounted on the right side of device models prior to the 8700. The trackwheel was replaced by the trackball with the introduction of the Pearl series, which allowed four-way scrolling. The trackball was replaced by the [[optical trackpad]] with the introduction of the Curve 8500 series. Models made to use [[integrated Digital Enhanced Network|iDEN]] networks, such as [[Nextel]], [[SouthernLINC Wireless|SouthernLINC]], [[NII Holdings]], and [[Mike (cellular network)|Mike]] also incorporate a [[push-to-talk]] (PTT) feature, similar to a [[two-way radio]].

On January 30, 2013, BlackBerry announced the release of the Z10 and Q10 smartphones. Both models consisted of touch screens: the Z10 features an all-touch design<ref>{{cite web |title=BlackBerry Q5 price in US revealed: BB Q10 & Z10 more expensive |url=http://www.popherald.com/news/20130717/blackberry/bb-q5-price-us-vs-z10-and-q10.php |work=Pop Herald |access-date=July 19, 2013 |last=Diokno |first=Carlo Raphael |date=July 17, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719162308/http://www.popherald.com/news/20130717/blackberry/bb-q5-price-us-vs-z10-and-q10.php |archive-date=July 19, 2013}}</ref> and the Q10 combines a QWERTY keyboard with touchscreen features.<ref>{{cite news |title=Review: BlackBerry Q10 |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/technology/Gadgets-Reviews/Review-BlackBerry-Q10/SP-Article1-1093790.aspx |access-date=July 19, 2013 |newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=July 17, 2013 |last=Mahale |first=Sneha |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718193930/http://www.hindustantimes.com/technology/Gadgets-Reviews/Review-BlackBerry-Q10/SP-Article1-1093790.aspx |archive-date=July 18, 2013}}</ref>

On March 5, 2013, BlackBerry announced the signature of a large contract to secure German government Data and Voice communications. [[Angela Merkel]] signed the contract publicly and [https://www.bundeskanzler.de/bk-en/news/the-chancellor-opens-cebit-in-hannover-481018 appeared at Cebit] along with BlackBerry Europe Managing Director, Herve Liboureau.

During the second financial quarter of 2013, BlackBerry sold 6.8 million handsets, but was eclipsed by the sales of competitor Nokia's [[Nokia Lumia#Second generation (Windows Phone 8)|Lumia]] model for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nokia revenues slide 24% but Lumia sales rise offers hope |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/18/nokia-revenues-fall-lumia-sales?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2 |access-date=July 19, 2013 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=July 18, 2013 |last=Arthur |first=Charles}}</ref>

On August 12, 2013, BlackBerry announced the intention to sell the company due to their increasingly unfavorable financial position and competition in the mobile industry.<ref>{{cite news |last=El Akkad |first=Omar |title=BlackBerry puts up 'for sale' sign, with Fairfax emerging as potential buyer |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/blackberry-says-it-is-exploring-strategic-alternatives/article13708618/ |access-date=September 21, 2013 |newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=August 12, 2013}}</ref> Largely due to lower than expected sales on the [[BlackBerry Z10|Z10]], BlackBerry announced on September 20, 2013, that 4,500 full- and part-time positions (an estimated 40% of its operating staff) have been [[Termination of employment|terminated]] and its product line has been reduced from six to four models.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gollom |first=Mark |title=Does BlackBerry have a future? |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/does-blackberry-have-a-future-1.1862945 |access-date=September 21, 2013 |work=CBC News |date=September 20, 2013}}</ref> On September 23, 2013, [[Fairfax Financial]], which owns a 10% [[Equity (finance)|equity stake]] in BlackBerry, made an offer to [[Takeover|acquire]] BlackBerry for $4.7 billion (at $9.00 per share). Following the announcement, BlackBerry announced an acceptance of the offer provisionally but it would continue to seek other offers until November 4, 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/blackberry-to-be-sold-to-group-led-by-fairfax-financial-1.1864922 |title=BlackBerry to be sold to group led by Fairfax Financial |work=CBC News |date=September 24, 2013 |access-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref>

On November 4, 2013, BlackBerry replaced Thorsten Heins with new interim CEO [[John S. Chen]], the former CEO of [[Sybase]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Jane |last=McEntegart |url=http://www.tomshardware.com/news/thorsten-heins-fired-from-blackberry,24960.html |title=BlackBerry Replaces Thorsten Heins with New Interim CEO |website=TomsHardware.com |date=November 4, 2013 |access-date=November 17, 2013}}</ref> On November 8, the BlackBerry board rejected proposals from several technology companies for various BlackBerry assets on grounds that a break-up did not serve the interest of all stakeholders, which include employees, customers and suppliers in addition to shareholders, said the sources, who did not want to be identified as the discussions were confidential.<ref>{{cite news |last=Roumeliotis |first=Greg |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-blackberry-offer-board-idUSBRE9A70Z020131108 |title=BlackBerry board rejected proposals to break up company that owned over 44,000 patents |work=Reuters |date=November 8, 2013 |access-date=November 17, 2013 |archive-date=November 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112235743/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/08/us-blackberry-offer-board-idUSBRE9A70Z020131108 |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 13, 2013, Chen released an open message: "We are committed to reclaiming our success."<ref>{{cite web |first=Adam |last=Zeis |url=http://crackberry.com/message-blackberry-ceo-john-chen-we-are-committed-reclaiming-our-success |title=Message from BlackBerry CEO John Chen: We are committed to reclaiming our success |website=Crackberry.com |date=November 13, 2013 |access-date=November 17, 2013}}</ref>

On December 17, 2013, BlackBerry announced a contract for more than [https://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/blackberry-10-000-collaborateurs-de-psa-equipes-de-z10-et-bes10-en-renfort-39796437.htm 10'000 BlackBerry Z10 for Peugeot SA].

On February 26, 2014, during [[Mobile World Congress]], [https://www.boursier.com/actions/actualites/news/blackberry-limited-airbus-reitere-sa-confiance-dans-la-securite-et-la-fiabilite-de-la-plate-forme-blackberry-568099.html Airbus signed a contract with BlackBerry] Europe Managing Director, Herve Liboureau, for the BlackBerry 10 entire Mobility Management suite.

In early July 2014, the ''TechCrunch'' online publication published an article titled "BlackBerry Is One Of The Hottest Stocks Of 2014, Seriously", following a 50 percent rise in the company's stock, an increase that was greater than peer companies such as Apple and Google; however, an analysis of BlackBerry's financial results showed that neither revenue or profit margin were improved, but, instead, costs were markedly reduced. During the same period, BlackBerry also introduced the new [[BlackBerry Passport|Passport]] handset—consisting of a {{convert|4.5|in|cm|adj=on}} square screen with "Full HD-class" (1,440 x 1,440) resolution and marketed to professional fields such as healthcare and architecture—promoted its Messenger app and released minor updates for the BB10 mobile operating system.<ref>{{cite web |first=Matt |last=Burns |title=BlackBerry Is One Of The Hottest Stocks Of 2014, Seriously |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/08/blackberry-is-one-of-the-hottest-stocks-of-2014-seriously/ |website=TechCrunch |publisher=AOL Inc |access-date=July 12, 2014 |date=July 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Matt |last=Young |title=BlackBerry Passport: Breaking Design Boundaries |url=http://blogs.blackberry.com/2014/07/passport-design/ |website=BlackBerry Blog |publisher=BlackBerry |access-date=July 12, 2014 |date=July 7, 2014}}</ref>

On December 17, 2014, the [[BlackBerry Classic]] was introduced; it is meant to be more in line with the former Bold series, incorporating navigation buttons similar to the previous BlackBerry OS devices.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/blackberry-classic-1277422/review |title=BlackBerry Classic review |first=David |last=Nield |date=January 14, 2015 |work=TechRadar}}</ref> When it was discontinued in June 2016, it was the last BlackBerry with a keyboard that dominates the front of the phone in the classic style.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/technology/a-sad-day-for-punchers-blackberry-to-discontinue-its-last-keyboard-phone.html |title=A Sad Day for Punchers: BlackBerry to Discontinue Traditional Keyboard Phone |first=Ian |last=Austen |date=July 5, 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

In September 2015, BlackBerry officially unveiled the [[BlackBerry Priv]], a slider, with a German made camera lens with 18 megapixels, [[phablet]] that utilizes the Android operating system with additional security and productivity-oriented features inspired by the BlackBerry operating systems.<ref>{{cite news |title=BlackBerry to Launch Android Smartphone |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/blackberry-to-launch-android-smartphone-1443181465 |first=Ben |last=Dummett |date=September 25, 2015 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones & Company |access-date=September 25, 2015}}</ref><ref name="zdnet-privsecurity">{{cite web |title=The many ways BlackBerry beefs up Android security on the Priv |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-many-ways-blackberry-beefs-up-android-security-on-the-priv/ |first=Kevin |last=Tofel |date=October 21, 2015 |website=ZDNet |access-date=November 3, 2015}}</ref><ref name="zdnet-privstandout">{{cite web |title=BlackBerry Priv standout features: Hub, pop-up widgets and security app |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/blackberry-priv-standout-features-hub-pop-up-widgets-and-security-app/ |first=Kevin |last=Tofel |date=October 29, 2015 |website=ZDNet |access-date=November 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BlackBerry Promises Robust Security on Android-Based Priv |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2493584,00.asp |first=Angela |last=Moscaritolo |date=21 October 2015 |website=PC Magazine |access-date=October 26, 2015}}</ref> However, BlackBerry COO Marty Beard told Bloomberg that "The company's never said that we would not build another BB10 device."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ubergizmo.com/2016/07/blackberry-bb10-smartphones-in-the-future/ |title=BlackBerry Not Ruling Out Future BB10 Smartphones |last=Lee |first=Tyler |date=July 11, 2016 |website=Ubergizmo  |access-date=July 27, 2016 |quote=However with the rumors suggesting multiple Android devices in the works, we have to wonder where they will find the time to launch BB10 devices.}}</ref>

On July 26, 2016, the company hinted that another model with a physical keyboard was "coming shortly". The same day, BlackBerry unveiled a mid-range Android model with only an on-screen keyboard, the [[BlackBerry DTEK50]], powered by the then latest version of Android Marshmallow (version 6.0). (The Priv could be upgraded to the same version of the
Android operating system as well.) This device featured a 5.2-inch full high-definition (or in other words, a FHD), display. BlackBerry chief security officer David Kleidermacher stressed data security during the launch, indicating that this model included built-in malware protection and encryption of all user information.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/blackberry-dtek50-1.3695450 |title=BlackBerry launching new smartphone with emphasis on beefed up security |author=The Canadian Press<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=July 26, 2016 |website=CBC News |publisher=CBC |access-date=July 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Cheng">{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/blackberry-dtek50-eschews-the-keyboard-but-keeps-android/ |title=BlackBerry's cheaper DTEK 50 skips the keyboard, but keeps Android |last=Cheng |first=Roger |date=July 26, 2016 |website=CNET |access-date=July 26, 2016}}</ref> Industry observers pointed out that the DTEK50 is a re-branded version of the [[Alcatel Idol 4]] with additional security-oriented software customizations, manufactured and designed by [[TCL Communication|TCL]].<ref name="ars-dtek50">{{cite web |title=BlackBerry rebrands Chinese smartphone, creates the $299 BlackBerry DTEK50 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/07/blackberry-rebrands-chinese-smartphone-creates-the-299-blackberry-dtek50/ |first=Ron |last=Amadeo |date=July 26, 2016 |website=Ars Technica |access-date=July 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="Cheng"/>

{{Anchor|merah}}In September 2016, BlackBerry Limited agreed to a licensing partnership with an [[Indonesia]]n company to set up a new joint venture company called BB Merah Putih to "source, distribute, and market BlackBerry handsets in Indonesia".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/09/28/blackberry-joint-venture-bb-merah-putih/ |title=BlackBerry's first software and brand-licensing deal: a joint venture in Indonesia called BB Merah Putih |first=Paul |last=Sawers |website=Venture Beat |date=September 28, 2016}}</ref>

On October 25, 2016, BlackBerry released the [[BlackBerry DTEK60]], the second device in the DTEK series, manufactured and designed by [[TCL Communication|TCL]]. The device features a 5.5-inch Quad-HD touch screen display running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 processor with support for Quick Charge 3.0, USB Type-C, and a fingerprint sensor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://press.blackberry.com/en/press/2016/blackberry-announces-dtek60-latest-android-device-with-blackberry-industry-leading-security-software.html |title=BlackBerry Announces DTEK60, Latest Android Device with BlackBerry's Industry Leading Security Software |work=BlackBerry |date=October 25, 2016}}</ref>

In October 2016, it was announced that BlackBerry will be working with the [[Ford Motor Company of Canada]] to develop software for the car manufacturer's connected vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-31/blackberry-ford-extend-partnership-to-develop-car-software |title=BlackBerry, Ford Extend Partnership to Develop Car Software |first1=Gerrit |last1=De Vynck |first2=Keith |last2=Naughton |date=October 31, 2016 |website=Bloomberg.com}}</ref>

In February 2017, a $20m class action lawsuit against BlackBerry was announced by the former employees of the company.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/blackberry-faces-class-action-lawsuit-from-former-employees/article34056298/ |title=BlackBerry to face class-action lawsuit from employees over Ford partnership |first=Shane |last=Dingman |date=February 16, 2017 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>

In March 2017, BB Merah Putih announced the BlackBerry Aurora, an Indonesian-made and sold device, running an operating system based on [[Android 7.0]] out of the box.

In March 2018, it was announced that BlackBerry would be working with [[Jaguar Land Rover]] to develop software for the car manufacturer's vehicles.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-22/blackberry-adds-jaguar-to-its-roster-of-automaker-partners |title=BlackBerry Adds Jaguar to its Roster of Automaker Partners |first=Gerrit |last=De Vynck |date=2018-03-22 |work=Bloomberg.com |access-date=2018-03-22}}</ref> In June 2018, BlackBerry in partnership with TCL Mobile and Optiemus Infracom launched the KEY2 at a global launch in New York.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://eoto.tech/blackberry-key2-unveiled-features-dual-camera-and-a-customizable-speed-key/ |title=BlackBerry KEY2 unveiled, features dual-camera and a customizable speed key |date=2018-06-08 |work=EOTO Tech |access-date=2018-06-27 |language=en-US |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627145808/https://eoto.tech/blackberry-key2-unveiled-features-dual-camera-and-a-customizable-speed-key/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> This is the third device to sport a keyboard while running Google's Android OS.

In 2017, BlackBerry Mobile released the [[BlackBerry KeyOne]]—which was known for having a physical keyboard below its 4.5 inch touchscreen and a long battery life—and was the last device to be designed internally by BlackBerry.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 27, 2017|title=BlackBerry's last internally designed phone comes out at the end of May|url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/blackberrys-last-internally-designed-phone-comes-out-at-the-end-of-may/|access-date=February 21, 2022|website=arsTECHNICA}}</ref> Also in 2017, BlackBerry Mobile, under their partner license agreements, released the [[BlackBerry Aurora]], BlackBerry KeyOne L/E BLACK, and the [[BlackBerry Motion]].

In June 2018, the [[BlackBerry Key2]] was launched in international markets, and in India by licensee Optiemus Infracom.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/blackberry-key2-price-india-launch-specifications-release-date-amazon-1887906 |title=BlackBerry KEY2 With QWERTY Keypad, Dual Cameras Launched in India |first=Tasneem |last=Akolawala |date=24 July 2018 |website=NDTV Gadgets 360}}</ref> The Key2 sports a dual camera setup and incorporates features such as portrait mode and optical zoom. In August 2018, after the launch of the BlackBerry Key2, Optiemus Infracom announced the launch of the [[BlackBerry Evolve]] and [[BlackBerry Evolve|Evolve X]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/launch/blackberry-evolve-evolve-x-launched-in-india/story/280926.html |title=BlackBerry Evolve, Evolve X launched in India |first=Nidhi |last=Singal |date=August 2, 2018 |website=[[Business Today (India)|Business Today]]}}</ref> smartphones for the Indian market sold exclusively on Amazon India. The smartphones have been conceptualized, designed and manufactured in India.

As of 2019, BB Merah Putih's website has been repurposed,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bbmerahputih.co.id/ |title=Home |language=id |website=BB Merah Putih |access-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205052030/https://bbmerahputih.co.id/ |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-aurora-f463/bb-merah-putih-site-bankrupt-1168429/ |title=Is BB Merah Putih site bankrupt? |website=BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com}}</ref> with [[BlackBerry Limited]] stating that only technical support will be offered for the Indonesian devices built by the company.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blackberry.com/us/en/support/devices |title=Devices |website=BlackBerry.com}}</ref> Additionally, the operational status of Optiemus is unknown as of September 2020, as there have not been any updates posted regarding BlackBerry products in India since 2018.

On January 4, 2022, BlackBerry Limited discontinued services for all non-Android BlackBerry devices.<ref name=":9" />

In October 2023, it was announced that Blackberry Chief Operating Officer, John Chen would be leaving the company after ten years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-30 |title=BlackBerry CEO John Chen to Exit With Software Company Planning Split |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-30/blackberry-ceo-john-chen-to-exit-as-software-company-plans-split |access-date=2023-11-01}}</ref> Richard Lynch will take over as interim CEO and chair of the board.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Glickman |first=Ben |date=2023-10-30 |title=BlackBerry Taps Richard Lynch as Interim CEO |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/blackberry-taps-richard-lynch-as-interim-ceo-5cf10042 |access-date=2023-11-01 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-30 |title=BlackBerry CEO John Chen to Exit With Software Company Planning Split |url=https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/blackberry-ceo-john-chen-exit-202700310.html |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-CA}}</ref>

=== Intellectual property litigation ===
==== NTP Inc case ====
In 2000 [[NTP, Inc.|NTP]] sent notice of its wireless email patents to a number of companies and offered to license the patents to them. NTP brought a patent-infringement lawsuit against one of the companies, Research In Motion, in the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia]]. This court is well known for its strict adherence to timetables and deadlines, sometimes referred to as the "[[rocket docket]]", and is particularly efficient at trying patent cases.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12741229581232708370&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr |title=NTP, Inc. v. Research in Motion, Ltd., 418 F. 3d 1282 - Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit 2005 |website=Google Scholar}}</ref>

The jury eventually found that the NTP patents were valid; furthermore, the jury established that RIM had infringed the patents in a "willful" manner, and the infringement had cost NTP US$33 million in damages (the greater of a reasonable royalty or lost profits). The judge, [[James R. Spencer]], increased the damages to US$53 million as a punitive measure due to the willful nature of the infringement. He also instructed RIM to pay NTP's legal fees of US$4.5 million and issued an injunction ordering RIM to cease and desist infringing the patents—this decision would have resulted in the closure of BlackBerry's systems in the US.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Barrie |last1=McKenna |first2=Paul |last2=Waldie |first3=Simon |last3=Avery |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=February 21, 2006 |title=Patently Absurd: The inside story of RIM's wireless war |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060221.wpatentlyabsured-rim21/BNStory/RIM2006/home?pageRequested=all&print=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116071908/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060221.wpatentlyabsured-rim21/BNStory/RIM2006/home?pageRequested=all&print=true |archive-date=January 16, 2009}}</ref> RIM appealed all of the findings of the court. The injunction and other remedies were stayed pending the outcome of the appeals.

In March 2005 during appeal, RIM and NTP tried to negotiate a settlement of their dispute; the settlement was to be for $450 million. Negotiations broke down due to other issues. On June 10, 2005, the matter returned to the courts. In early November 2005 the [[United States Department of Justice|US Department of Justice]] filed a [[brief (law)|brief]] requesting that RIM's service be allowed to continue because of the large number of BlackBerry users in the US Federal Government.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101789.html |last=Noguchi |first=Yuki |title=Government Enters Fray Over BlackBerry Patents. Agencies Depend on Devices, Lawyers Say |page=D01 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 12, 2005}}</ref>

In January 2006 the [[Supreme Court of the United States|US Supreme Court]] refused to hear RIM's appeal of the holding of liability for patent infringement, and the matter was returned to a lower court. The prior granted [[injunction]] preventing all RIM sales in the US and use of the BlackBerry device might have been enforced by the presiding district court judge had the two parties been unable to reach a settlement.

On February 9, 2006, the [[United States Department of Defense|US Department of Defense]] (DOD) filed a brief stating that an injunction shutting down the BlackBerry service while excluding government users was unworkable. The DOD also stated that the BlackBerry was crucial for national security given the large number of government users.

On February 9, 2006, RIM announced that it had developed software workarounds that would not infringe the NTP patents, and would implement those if the injunction was enforced.

On March 3, 2006, after a stern warning from Judge Spencer, RIM and NTP announced that they had settled their dispute. Under the terms of the settlement, RIM has agreed to pay NTP $612.5 million (USD) in a "full and final settlement of all claims." In a statement, RIM said that "all terms of the agreement have been finalized and the litigation against RIM has been dismissed by a court order this afternoon. The agreement eliminates the need for any further court proceedings or decisions relating to damages or injunctive relief." The settlement amount is believed low by some analysts, because of the absence of any future royalties on the technology in question.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6448213/did/11659304?GT1=7935 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206040337/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6448213/did/11659304?GT1=7935 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 6, 2012 |title=Settlement reached in BlackBerry patent case |website=MSNBC |date=March 3, 2006 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

On May 26, 2017, BlackBerry announced that it had reached an agreement with Qualcomm Incorporated resolving all amounts payable in connection with the interim arbitration decision announced on April 12, 2017. Following a joint stipulation by the parties, the arbitration panel has issued a final award providing for the payment by Qualcomm to BlackBerry of a total amount of U.S.$940,000,000 including interest and attorneys' fees, net of certain royalties due from BlackBerry for calendar 2016 and the first quarter of calendar 2017.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/05/26/1297275/0/en/BlackBerry-Announces-Final-Award-in-Qualcomm-Arbitration.html |title=BlackBerry Announces Final Award in Qualcomm Arbitration |date=May 26, 2017 |website=GlobeNewswire News Room}}</ref>

In summer 2020, the [[Texas]]-based startup OnwardMobility signed a new licensing agreement with [[BlackBerry Limited]] to develop a new [[5G]] BlackBerry smartphone. OnwardMobility was cooperating with [[BlackBerry Limited]] and [[FIH Mobile]] (a subsidiary of [[Foxconn]])<ref name="David Goldman">{{Cite web |first=David |last=Goldman |title=The BlackBerry is coming back |date=August 20, 2020 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/20/tech/blackberry-2021-5g-phone/index.html |access-date=2021-10-14 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> as they "sought to revitalize the iconic BlackBerry brand through an Android-based, next-gen Wi-Fi device."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2022 |title=BlackBerry's 5G Phone Is Officially Dead |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/blackberrys-5g-phone-is-officially-dead/ |access-date=February 21, 2022 |website=cnet}}</ref> However, in a statement released on February 18, 2022, OnwardMobility said that not only would the development of the new BlackBerry device not be moving forward, but the company itself would be shutting down, as well.<ref name=":1" />

==== KIK ====
On November 24, 2010, [[Research In Motion]] (RIM) removed [[Kik Messenger]] from BlackBerry App World and limited the functionality of the software for its users.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://benefice-net.branchez-vous.com/actubn/2010/11/rim-blackberry-messenger-kik-application-mobile-concurrence.html |title=RIM bloque une application concurrente A son service BlackBerry Messenger |date=24 November 2010 |language=fr |website=Benefice.net |access-date=December 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127152006/http://benefice-net.branchez-vous.com/actubn/2010/11/rim-blackberry-messenger-kik-application-mobile-concurrence.html |archive-date=November 27, 2010}}</ref> RIM also sued Kik Interactive for [[patent infringement]] and misuse of [[trademark]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weinberg |first1=Stuart |title=RIM Sues App Maker Kik Over Patents |date=2010-12-01 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704594804575648932379804088 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |location=[[New York City]] |access-date=2016-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Silcoff |first1=Sean |last2=McNish |first2=Jacquie |last3=Ladurantaye |first3=Steve |title=Inside the fall of BlackBerry: How the smartphone inventor failed to adapt |date=September 27, 2013 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/the-inside-story-of-why-blackberry-is-failing/article14563602/?page=all |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930181216/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/the-inside-story-of-why-blackberry-is-failing/article14563602/?page=all |archive-date=September 30, 2013 |access-date=October 12, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2013, the companies settled the lawsuit, with the terms undisclosed.<ref name="Lawsuit">{{cite news |last=Simone |first=Rose |title=Kik eager to move on after settling spat with BlackBerry |date=October 9, 2013 |url=http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4146815-kik-eager-to-move-on-after-settling-spat-with-blackberry/ |newspaper=[[Waterloo Region Record]] |access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref>

==== Facebook and Instagram ====
In 2018 it was reported that BlackBerry would be filing legal action against [[Facebook]] over perceived intellectual property infringements within both [[Facebook Messenger]] and [[WhatsApp]] as well as with [[Instagram]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/blackberry-lawsuit/blackberry-files-lawsuit-against-facebook-whatsapp-and-instagram-idUSL4N1QO4WP  |title=BlackBerry sues Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram over patent infringement |first=Ahmed |last=Farhatha |date=March 6, 2018 |website=Reuters}}</ref> They settled for an undisclosed amount on the 15th of January 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lenihan |first1=Rob |title=BlackBerry and Facebook Settle Patent Lawsuit |url=https://www.thestreet.com/investing/blackberry-settles-patent-lawsuit-filed-against-facebook |website=TheStreet |access-date=14 June 2024 |language=en-us |date=15 January 2021}}</ref>

=== Service outages ===
At various stages of the company's history it suffered occasional service outages that have been referred to in the media as "embarrassing".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lashinsky |first1=Adam |date=November 10, 2011 |title=BlackBerry's business problem |url=http://fortune.com/2011/11/10/blackberrys-business-problem/ |work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |access-date=January 25, 2018 |quote=Slow browsing, few apps, and an embarrassing service outage. Can BlackBerry recover from its biggest crisis yet?}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 15, 2011 |title=RIM and its troubles: BlackBerry blues |url=http://www.economist.com/node/21532312 |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |access-date=January 25, 2018 |quote=Research In Motion can ill afford embarrassing service interruptions.}}</ref>

In 2005 the company suffered a relatively short-term outage reportedly among a small handful of North America carriers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Osborne |first1=Brian |date=June 20, 2005 |title=Limited BlackBerry outage Friday morning |url=https://www.geek.com/blurb/limited-blackberry-outage-friday-morning-559126/ |work=[[Geek.com]] |access-date=January 25, 2018 |archive-date=January 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126125613/https://www.geek.com/blurb/limited-blackberry-outage-friday-morning-559126/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The service was restored after several hours.

In 2007 the e-mail service suffered an outage which led for calls by some questioning the integrity towards BlackBerry's perceived centralized system.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jedras |first=Jeff |date=April 18, 2007 |title=BlackBerry outage suggests IT infrastructure weakness |url=https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/blackberry-outage-suggests-it-infrastructure-weakness/10368 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240525072316/https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/blackberry-outage-suggests-it-infrastructure-weakness/10368 |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |access-date=January 25, 2018 |work=ITBusiness.ca}}</ref>

In 2009 the company had an outage reportedly covering the whole of North America.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 23, 2009 |title=BlackBerry users hit by eight-hour outage |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/23/blackberry.outage/index.html |work=ZDNet |access-date=January 25, 2018}}</ref>

At 2011-10-10 10:00 UTC began a multi-day outage in [[Europe, the Middle East and Africa]], affecting millions of BlackBerry users.<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Christopher |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/blackberry/8818094/BlackBerry-services-collapse.html |title=BlackBerry services collapse |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=October 10, 2011 |access-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> There was another outage the following day.<ref>{{cite web |last=Meyer |first=David |url=http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/businessstyling-of-it/2011/10/12/rim-explains-blackberry-downtime-as-outage-spreads-40094166/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505152321/http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/businessstyling-of-it/2011/10/12/rim-explains-blackberry-downtime-as-outage-spreads-40094166/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 5, 2013 |title=RIM explains BlackBerry downtime as outage spreads |website=ZDNet UK |date=October 12, 2011 }}</ref> By October 12, 2011, the BlackBerry Internet Service went down in North America.<ref name="bloomberg1">{{cite news |last=Browning |first=Jonathan |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-12/blackberry-maker-rim-still-clearing-data-backlog-vodafone-says.html |title=RIM in 'Race Against Clock' as BlackBerry Disruption Spreads |website=Bloomberg |date=October 12, 2011 |access-date=May 31, 2012}}</ref> Research In Motion attributed data overload due to switch failures in their two data centres in [[Waterloo, Ontario|Waterloo]] in Canada and [[Slough]] in England as the cause of the service disruptions.<ref name="bloomberg1"/><ref>{{cite news |author=P.L. |date=October 13, 2011 |title=BlackBerry outage: Another burning platform |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2011/10/blackberry-outage |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |access-date=January 25, 2018 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The outage intensified calls by shareholders for a shake-up in the company's leadership.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garside |first1=Juliette |date=October 15, 2011 |title=Service restored, but BlackBerry may never repair its reputation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/oct/16/service-restored-but-blackberry-may-never-repair-its-reputation |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=January 25, 2018 |quote="This outage couldn't have come at a worse time," says Francisco Jeronimo, research manager at analyst IDC. "It harms BlackBerry's brand. Corporations, users and mobile operators are now asking themselves: how reliable is RIM?" Activist shareholders, egged on by financial analysts, are hammering on the boardroom door, calling for Lazaridis and Balsillie to leave. Chief among them is Vic Alboini, who runs Jaguar Financial, a merchant bank which claims to have support from 12 of RIM's top 20 stockholders for a change at the top.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Garside |first1=Juliette |date=October 12, 2011 |title=Shareholders put pressure on BlackBerry chiefs to sell up |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/oct/12/blackberry-chiefs-under-pressure |work=The Guardian |access-date=January 25, 2018 |quote=As RIM battled to contain a three-day outage of its email service, which has spread from Europe to Africa and now North and South America, affecting many of its 70 million users, Jaguar called for Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, who are co-chief executives and co-chairmen, to step down. […] RIM declined to comment on shareholder unrest.}}</ref>
Some estimates by BlackBerry are that the company lost between $50 million<ref>{{cite news |date=August 15, 2016 |title=BlackBerry maker selling tablets at a loss, takes $485 million charge |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2011/12/02/blackberry-maker-selling-tablets-at-a-loss-takes-485-million-charge/ |work=[[East Bay Times]] |access-date=January 25, 2018 |quote=The company is also taking a charge of $50 million for an embarrassing October outage of email and Web services that lasted days for millions of overseas BlackBerry users. It briefly spread to the U.S. and Canada before the company was able to contain the damage.}}</ref> to $54 million due to global email service failure and outage in 2011.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Whittaker |first1=Zack |date=March 30, 2012 |title=RIM lost $54 million on four-day global BlackBerry outage |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/rim-lost-54-million-on-four-day-global-blackberry-outage/ |work=ZDNet |access-date=January 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=King |first1=Leo |date=October 12, 2011 |title=BlackBerry Users Express Anger At Two Day Outage |url=https://www.csoonline.com/article/2129818/data-protection/blackberry-users-express-anger-at-two-day-outage.html |work=CSO Online by IDG |access-date=January 25, 2018 |archive-date=January 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126125614/https://www.csoonline.com/article/2129818/data-protection/blackberry-users-express-anger-at-two-day-outage.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>