BlackBerry sues Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram over patent infringement

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 26, 2018 Blackberry KEYone mobile phones are held at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world's biggest mobile fair, in Barcelona. Canadian telecommunications firm BlackBerry sued Facebook on March 6, 2018, accusing the American social media company of infringing on its patents for messaging apps. BlackBerry is claiming infringement on patents it holds for message encryption and notifications, and is seeking an injunction as well as damages for lost profits, although no figure was given. Facebook and its wholly-owned services Instagram and WhatsApp are named as defendants in the lawsuit. / AFP PHOTO / Pau Barrena

BlackBerry Ltd on March 6 filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Facebook Inc and its WhatsApp and Instagram apps, arguing that they copied technology and features from BlackBerry Messenger.

Litigation over patent infringement is part of BlackBerry chief executive John Chen's strategy for making money for the company, which has lost market share in the smartphone market it once dominated.