Rumour mongers may have spent recent months talking up Amazon's chances of making a move for HP's webOS, but the online retail giant reportedly came much closer to a BlackBerry buyout.

That's according to unnamed sources cited by Reuters, who claim Amazon hired an investment bank in the summer to review a potential takeover of platform holder RIM.

Sticky situation

Reuters, which cites "people with knowledge of the situation", states RIM's management have, on more than one occasion, rebuffed all buyout offers, though it's not clear whether Amazon ever put forward a formal price.

RIM's stance stands in defiance of pressure from activist shareholder Jaguar Financial Corp, which has called for the sale of the company following a tough 2011.

BlackBerry has suffered both shrinking smartphone share in the US throughout the course of the year and endured weak sales of the platform's first tablet, the PlayBook.

Close relationship

The break down of a potential deal between the two parties didn't stop Amazon and RIM collaborating in other areas, however.

Indeed, PlayBook reportedly served as a template for Amazon's own entry into the market in the form of its Android-powered Kindle Fire.

Reuters also reports the two parties have collaborated on a deal that makes Amazon's music catalogue available to some BlackBerry owners.

Further ties could be formed in the future, while speculation suggests RIM is considering opening up BlackBerry 10 – the next version of its OS – to third parties in a bid to offer OEMs an alternative to Android and Windows Phone.

[source: Reuters]