The Sunday Times reports today that RIM is considering a plan that will split its handset division and messaging network into two separate companies, and will then sell off the struggling BlackBerry hardware business.
The British paper doesn’t cite any sources in the report, but it says that Facebook and Amazon are both “potential buyers.” As part of this plan, RIM could keep its enterprise-friendly messaging and data network (including BBM and BIS) in-house and license them out.
RIM has been working with RBC and JP Morgan since earlier in the year to conduct a strategic review. Another option would be to sell a large stake in the company to a corporation such as Microsoft.
According to the Times, RIM’s final plan is set to be revealed sometime this summer, which would be before it launches BlackBerry 10. It’s unknown where that would leave the new operating system, which is key to the company’s attempted turnaround.
The phone maker hasn’t provided any guidance for its 1st quarter earnings (which are to be revealed on June 28th), but the CEO has said that it will “likely have an operating loss.”
After five years of the iPhone, are we seeing the end of BlackBerry as we know it?