IBM is weighing up its options for Research In Motion’s (RIM) enterprise-services division, according to two people familiar with the situation cited by Bloomberg.
RIM has reportedly received an informal approach from IBM to perhaps buy the unit.
The…
IBM is weighing up its options for Research In Motion’s (RIM) enterprise-services division, according to two people familiar with the situation cited by Bloomberg.
RIM has reportedly received an informal approach from IBM to perhaps buy the unit.
The Canadian device maker’s network operations centres consist of servers that secure and compress content delivered to Blackberry devices, supporting services such as email and BBM.
RIM’s share price has plummeted 65% over the last year and speculation about strategic options for the embattled telco has been rampant.
In May RIM hired JP Morgan and RBC Capital Markets to explore strategic alternatives to arrest its slump, but as yet there has been no change in direction announced by the Waterloo, Ontario-based firm.
Last month it was reported that Microsoft approached RIM in January about a stake sale while earlier this week Samsung quashed rumours it was interested in buying the Canadian telco.
In late July Fairfax Financial Holdings became RIM’s largest known shareholder taking its stake up to 9.9% in a contrarian move. Prem Watsa , the head of the investment firm, said recently that the handset maker had been underestimated and expressed his support for CEO Thorsten Heins.
RIM’s board is said to prefer to continue to develop its own operating system and wants to keep the company’s technology independence.
The company is launching the Blackberry 10 device early next year, with analysts in agreement that its success or failure will determine the future of the firm.
