BlackBerry, whose smartphone business is publicly floundering, is in talks to sell the whole company or parts of it to Google, Samsung, Cisco Systems, Intel and LG, according to a new report.
Fairfax Financial Holdings, which already owns around 10% of BlackBerry's common shares, agreed two weeks ago to take the Canadian company private for $4.7 billion, but a deal with any of the previously mentioned firms would change that, Reuters reported. BlackBerry has asked those interested to contact the company by early next week, the news agency added.
See also: Microsoft-Nokia Deal Proves Apple Was Right All Along
That said, Reuters reported that it's unclear which — if any — of the potential buyers will even bid. Google, Samsung, Cisco and Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and an LG spokesperson said she did not have information on the matter.
BlackBerry suffered a nearly $1 billion loss in its second quarter, and recently cut around 35% of its workforce. However, the company is still valued for its service business that runs its secure messaging system, and for its patent collection. That value, though, is nowhere close to the $100 billion that BlackBerry was worth in mid-2007.
While some of these potential buyers could be a surprise, the prospect of a sale is not, as BlackBerry announced in August that they had formed a committee to explore different selling options.
What do you think about these potential buyers? Tell us in the comments, below.
Image: Wikimedia Commons