BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSE:BB) previously sued Typo for offering a tactile keyboard for the iPhone. Since the lawsuit, which is still pending, Typo has not come with any new version until now.
One drawback with Typo 2
Typo recently launched Typo 2 for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5 / 5S. Typo 2 is a renovated version of the original design which slims down the case and is claimed to improve typing speed for users. However, the new case has one drawback. Users can’t use the Touch ID sensor and Typo 2 at same time. The new keyboard is positioned in a way that it blocks the sensor.
Some users will see this as a negative point, while others would enjoy typing on a physical keyboard while using their favorite device. iPhone 6 users can buy the typo keyboard on Typo’s website for $99 and the iPhone 5 / 5S version for $79. Typo CEO Laurence Hallier stated in an interview with Re/Code that the company is working on an iPad version of the product, which will be launched next year.
Hallier said when a user is typing on the keyboard, the fingerprint sensor is blocked, allowing the user to type the message easily. The Typo CEO said the company tried to make a keyboard for the iPhone 6 Plus, but the bigger dimensions made it difficult to make an add-on keyboard for the phone. Hallier said, “We designed one, but the phone is so big, it makes it top heavy.”
Still in tussle with BlackBerry
Previously BlackBerry had been able to get injunctions against Typo, which has been accused of infringing upon the Canadian’s firm’s smartphone keyboard designs. But this time it seems BlackBerry’s legal team failed to convince a judge. The initial lawsuit from BlackBerry against the original Typo iPhone Keyboard Case was made a week before the launch of the case at CES this past January.
Typo CEO Laurence Hallier tells Re/code that the company is still in a legal tussle with BlackBerry. Typo argues that its new keyboard’s design is not in conflict with that of BlackBerry, but we can be sure BlackBerry CEO John Chen, who is known for being aggressive, will pursue their case against Typo.
