BlackBerry is looking to fast-track a proposed buyout of the company with a view to having any deals signed, sealed and delivered by November.
That's according to the Wall Street Journal, which claims "sources familiar with the matter" have revealed the Canadian giant has narrowed down potential new owners to a select band of North American financial firms and mobile manufacturers.
Those still involved in the process will then bid for the firm either as a whole or possibly in part, with BlackBerry's board reportedly looking for a quick sale.
News of this apparent acceleration comes days after Microsoft unveiled its acquisition of Finnish mobile specialist Nokia, with many commentators claiming said purchase further weakens BlackBerry's position in the market.
Game on?
However, as was evident at the Unite Conference in Vancouver last week, the company's supposed sell off comes as its games division continues to push for more developer support, cementing the platform's position as a viable home for developers.
Talk of selling off the business was first raised by CEO Heins just months after his appointment, commenting that it was "prudent to explore all the company's options".
Plans took a further step forward in January 2013 when Heins suggested to German paper Die Welt that the company would re-evaluate its options after the launch of BlackBerry 10.
The exact performance of BlackBerry 10 remains unclear, though third-party figures suggest it's losing ground to Microsoft's Windows Phone, with both platforms some way off challenging Android and iOS at the top of the tree.
The most likely bidder for the company's handset business as things stand is Chinese manufacturer Lenovo, with chief executive Yang Yuanqing having recently admitted his company would grasp the opportunity to consolidate if it presented itself.
[source: Wall Street Journal]
News
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Related Articles
Data & Research
Jul 6th, 2020
37% of iPhone owners game daily while 46% of Blackberry owners have no games
News
Sep 28th, 2016
BlackBerry ceases smartphone manufacturing as company reports $372 million net loss
Top Stories
as
News
10 hours, 35 minutes ago
Supercell's Hay Day returns to China's App Store after four year absence
News
11 hours, 48 minutes ago
Take-Two's mobile bookings make 53% of their total and GTA 6's release date gets locked in
Feature
May 17th, 2024
New release roundup: The best new mobile games from a battle royale to a console classic remake
Feature
May 16th, 2024
Behind the scenes: How adding sandwich offers to an idle merge game boosted three metrics at once
Events
Valencia Indie Summit 2024 | Europe | May 16th |
Digital Dragons | Europe | May 19th |
GamesBeat Summit 2024 | North America | May 20th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Nordic Game Spring 2024 | Nordic | May 21st |
Impact 2024 - Indie Games | May 23rd | |
MomoCon 2024 | North America | May 24th |
Morocco Gaming Expo | Africa | May 24th |
Popular Stories
Feature
May 14th, 2024
53 top mobile games in soft launch: Squad Busters, Battle Guys: Royale, Plants vs. Zombies 3, LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, and more
Feature
May 13th, 2024