It’s official, former smartphone leader BlackBerry is up for sale. Now the question is, who will actually want to buy it?
The best chance of a sale for BlackBerry may come in splitting up the company, allowing the sale of the company’s valuable patent portfolio, estimated to be worth about $2 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. But as for outright buyers of BlackBerry as a whole, potential partners may be limited.
Market observers believe it’s unlikely that a private equity firm would be interested in BlackBerry. As far as rivals go, Microsoft may show some interest, but the Windows Phone maker already has a strong relationship with Nokia.
The Wall Street Journal Says Samsung, HTC, and Lenovo may show some interest, but notes that the Canadian government has already warned that they would closely scrutinize any potential foreign buyers of Blackberry.
Blackberry convened a special committee on Monday to explore “Strategic alternatives” for the company, and later announced it had hired J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to explore the possibility of a sale, joint ventures, or partnerships.
A sale seems to be the only real option, as the beleaguered company continues to bleed red ink, posting a loss of $84 million in the June quarter.
