Poor old Glu Mobile. When its share price fell (and fell) last year, people were eager to point out the company's flaws.

Now it's rising again, rather than the publisher getting credit the gossips reckon it's because the company is about to be bought.

Maybe it is. The company's shares rose 23 per cent yesterday after a busy day of trading, which can be a sign of an imminent big announcement.
Seeking Alpha has some speculation which mentions previously-rumoured suitors Activision and Electronic Arts. However, it adds two new names to the fray: Nokia and Apple.

We're not so sure, frankly. With Nokia refocusing its efforts away from N-Gage and onto Ovi Store, we can't see why it would buy a mobile games publisher.

And Apple? Apple doesn't need porting skills or global distribution on operator decks - Glu's two main strengths - and if it's looking for an in-house development studio, why buy a company that's only recently been building out its own iPhone development capabilities?
Seeking Alpha concludes that the share price rise may simply be increased confidence from investors in Glu's strategy, with the iPhone 3G about to fall in price to $99, which may drive even more game sales on the platform.

If Glu is about to be bought, though, our bets would be on Activision, or possibly EA. Naturally, if an acquisition does come to pass, we'll carry full details here. Even if it's Apple and we're left with egg on our face...