1. WILLSaDICKted's Avatar


    Blackberry maker RIM might be subject to a takeover: New York Times - *

    Just stumbled upon this article that was posted less then 3 hours ago. Clearly this all here say, yet the possibility of a RIM take over makes me cringe

    According to a report published by New York Times (NYT), Blackberry maker Research In Motion (RIM) might be in for a take over by another IT giant. The report of a possible acquisition of the Canadian manufacturer has sent its stock soaring up by 10 per cent. 

    RIM has failed to match up with major brands such as Apple and Google leading to a significant decrease in its market share over the years.  With its prospects decreasing everyday, RIM has become the subject of takeover gossip. After Google’s takeover of Motorola Mobility earlier this week, RIM might be next in line for a takeover.

    Adam Leach, a market analyst told New York Times, "for a long while the market cap of RIM prevented any kind of takeover. I’m certainly not writing them off now, but they have got a tough job."

    However Tenille Kenndey, the RIM spokesperson has commented,"the company does not comment on rumors and speculations."

    RIM capitulated the smartphone market with its first Blackberry over a decade ago. Since then, it has introduced revolutionary features such as push, wireless mail and a messaging center. Blackberry Messenger (BBM) is even today considered the USP of Blackberry phones. But since the launch of phones such as the iPhone, the company has been on the downside.    

    In an effort to pickup lost strands, Blackberry simultaneously introduced three smartphone handsets - the Bold 9900, Blackberry Torch 9810 and Blackberry Torch 9860. Still, its handsets lacked many features. For example - all of them run on a single-core processor while the market has moved on to dual-core processors. RIM's Blackberry Playbook also fizzled out on the sales tab.

    RIM market share and its inability to rapidly innovate are working against the smartphone manufacturer. If the situation continues, RIM would be helpless in event of a takeover. 

    According to the NYT report, the chance of a takeover seems minutes for now. In the event that the takeover does take place, it would have to be first approved by its CEO-duo of Jim Ballsillie and Mike Lazaridis. Then it would need the approval of the Canadian government, as Blackberry assets might be strategic to the country. The takeover would have to be finally approved by RIM's minority shareholders.

    RIM’s potential suitors include not only major brands such as Microsoft and HTC, but even cash-rich Chinese companies such as ZTE and Huawei.


    What are your thoughts?

    What would be the RIMifications of a possible take over of our beloved RIM?

    Would BlackBerry OS be a thing of the past?

    Would it be a patent sell off?

    Will it happen?

    Rumored parties include Microsoft, HTC, and various others.
    08-18-11 12:22 PM
  2. Marauder2k9's Avatar
    HTC or Google......or maybe HTC and THEN Google...
    01itr and WILLSaDICKted like this.
    08-18-11 12:31 PM
  3. WILLSaDICKted's Avatar
    Ok, so google or htc buys our RIM...what then? bb's running droid or htc sense? lol
    08-18-11 12:43 PM
  4. Fubaz's Avatar
    i would like to see HTC merge
    08-18-11 12:48 PM
  5. CrackersB21's Avatar
    would not buy an android blackberry...... that may just be me
    08-18-11 12:51 PM
  6. WILLSaDICKted's Avatar
    I am curious as to what would happen to BlackBerry's as we know them though. If this ever did happen, would we still see BlackBerry's on the market, or just see BlackBerry services in other phones?
    08-18-11 12:52 PM
  7. Fubaz's Avatar
    I am curious as to what would happen to BlackBerry's as we know them though. If this ever did happen, would we still see BlackBerry's on the market, or just see BlackBerry services in other phones?
    IF HTC took over, i would like to see HTC spec'd devices running BBOS.

    and with googlorola who knows what will happen
    08-18-11 12:53 PM
  8. sleepngbear's Avatar
    Google just gobbled up Motorola ... very unlikely they'll also go after RIM. If there is anybody who RIM would be a good strategic target for, it's not one of the obvious names that everybody is throwing around. Somebody like Dell or Amazon for whom RIM's BIS and BES would nicely supplement their own existing cloud services and get them into the mobile game; but I highly doubt it would be somebody who is already well established in mobile ... RIM just doesn't offer them anything significantly different or strategically valuable to make an acquisition worthwhile.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    08-18-11 12:54 PM
  9. StaticFX's Avatar
    How could a company with 2.93B in cash and ZERO debt be taken over?
    have to be first approved by its CEO-duo of Jim Ballsillie and Mike Lazaridis
    - because they own the controlling stock.

    So.. ANY company could OFFER but they cannot just take it over.

    A company where the public owns the controlling share can be taken over more easily... with the approval going to the shareholders. all you need is a majority vote.

    No way is this going to happen
    DCAce, sf49ers, drjay868 and 2 others like this.
    08-18-11 12:56 PM
  10. WILLSaDICKted's Avatar
    would not buy an android blackberry...... that may just be me
    I totally agree with you.
    drjay868 likes this.
    08-18-11 01:01 PM
  11. 01itr's Avatar
    No way is this going to happen
    /thread

    I have been arguing with co-workers about this all day. For some reason people think that Google buying a company for it's IP means that everyone is trying to buy up tech companies now
    08-18-11 01:03 PM
  12. ADFXPro777's Avatar
    While RIM has made some mistakes, I highly doubt any buyouts will happen.

    First, RIM, while lost market share in the US, has posted large expansion worldwide. They have no debt, have a market cap of $14.8B, $2B in readily available, and overall, have an extremely healthy balance sheet. Their overall worth would be around $20-30B.

    Secondly, if a buyout were to happen, it would first need to be cleared from the Canadian government (which is highly unlikely).
    08-18-11 01:03 PM
  13. johnenglish's Avatar
    How could a company with 2.93B in cash and ZERO debt be taken over?
    - because they own the controlling stock.

    So.. ANY company could OFFER but they cannot just take it over.

    A company where the public owns the controlling share can be taken over more easily... with the approval going to the shareholders. all you need is a majority vote.

    No way is this going to happen
    Yup, Jim and Mike own a minority number of shares, but the shares they own are all special voting shares that give like 20 votes for each share compared to 1 vote per share for common stock. No buyout, merger, or new corporate structure is going to happen without their explicit OK.
    08-18-11 01:07 PM
  14. daveycrocket's Avatar
    I agree with StaticFX.
    This looks like an attempt to run on the back of the google takeover pure speculation in my view from an anylist. From the news of seen lately RIMM looks to be doing well. lots of potential, I think any takeover would ruin the BlackBerry excellence.
    08-18-11 01:11 PM
  15. sf49ers's Avatar
    Yup, Jim and Mike own a minority number of shares, but the shares they own are all special voting shares that give like 20 votes for each share compared to 1 vote per share for common stock. No buyout, merger, or new corporate structure is going to happen without their explicit OK.
    added to that they own a combined stock of 10%
    08-18-11 01:12 PM
  16. TheMimic's Avatar
    the stock did not shoot up 10% today. I'm not sure where they got that. It shot up 10% a few days ago when there was mention of the value of their patent portfolio.
    daveycrocket likes this.
    08-18-11 01:13 PM
  17. sf49ers's Avatar
    the stock did not shoot up 10% today. I'm not sure where they got that. It shot up 10% a few days ago when there was mention of the value of their patent portfolio.
    yep this is rotten news from 2 days ago, OP got existed to post it
    08-18-11 01:15 PM
  18. TheMimic's Avatar
    my bad, it's referring to the price increase of a few days ago. This isn't news.
    08-18-11 01:16 PM
  19. 01itr's Avatar
    Secondly, if a buyout were to happen, it would first need to be cleared from the Canadian government (which is highly unlikely).
    Especially since the Blackberry and RIM are now on our national stamps! How embarrassing would that be for Canada is RIM was bought out by Samsung or another foreign company haha.
    08-18-11 01:16 PM
  20. WILLSaDICKted's Avatar
    I highly doubt that this could happen...but I simply cant get the thought out of my mind. And if not a full takeover, what about a merger, or partnership? Could this also be in the unforeseen future? What would come of BlackBerry if its not purely powered by RIM?
    08-18-11 01:20 PM
  21. 01itr's Avatar
    I highly doubt that this could happen...but I simply cant get the thought out of my mind. And if not a full takeover, what about a merger, or partnership? Could this also be in the unforeseen future? What would come of BlackBerry if its not purely powered by RIM?
    Mike would never merge or partner with another company. Blackberry is his and he has too much pride to share it with someone else, which is a good thing in my eyes.

    IF it did happen, even though the media keeps talking about how the CEOs need to step down, I think it would result in the end of RIM. Shareholders would lose trust in the company and the stock price would plummet even more, THEN I could see it becoming a potential buy for a bigger tech corp.
    quik4life and daveycrocket like this.
    08-18-11 01:30 PM
  22. daveycrocket's Avatar
    Funny thing, many folk have wanted the ceo'S to go, now they maybe the ones to save it all.
    08-18-11 02:05 PM
  23. WILLSaDICKted's Avatar
    Funny thing, many folk have wanted the ceo'S to go, now they maybe the ones to save it all.
    I personally think they are doing all the right things and are transitioning the company into a successful future. I still feel that all of this is hearsay, and seeing as they have always been known to take their time, and seem to enjoy doing things their way, that there is nothing to worry about. And so what if they have lost American Market share?! America is obviously not where the money is at.
    08-18-11 02:54 PM
  24. anon(4018671)'s Avatar
    How could a company with 2.93B in cash and ZERO debt be taken over?
    - because they own the controlling stock.

    So.. ANY company could OFFER but they cannot just take it over.

    A company where the public owns the controlling share can be taken over more easily... with the approval going to the shareholders. all you need is a majority vote.

    No way is this going to happen
    You describe a proxy vote. All it takes is a serious offer.
    I think Mike and Jim own about 8% together. A company can also buy shares on the open market to outweigh them or just make a really compelling offer...there are ways. Greed usually works Remember a lot of shareholders have been locked up for years.
    08-18-11 03:57 PM
  25. anon(4018671)'s Avatar
    yep this is rotten news from 2 days ago, OP got existed to post it
    Some people were born for greatness...others not so much
    08-18-11 04:00 PM
84 123 ...
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD