BlackBerry Keeping all Options Open

There was a time not too long ago when the Waterloo, Canada based smartphone maker BlackBerry introduced the concept and new age smart mobile devices that carried a unique mix of device and secured software.

However, experts say that the BlackBerry party was spoilt majorly by the Chinese smartphones, android devices that are both cheap and easily available in big markets such as Asia. As a result, today Blackberry is standing on a crossroad that almost leads to wilderness of nowhere.

On the other hands, the company’s fundamentals are still pretty strong as it is sitting on close to USD 3.1 billion in cash and has a lot of smartphone software patents that its new age media rivals such as Microsoft, Apple, HP, Nokia and even Google should be interested.

Ironically, it was yesterday when BlackBerry actually said that it is considering putting itself up for sale, the strongest indication yet that the smartphone maker will not remain independent as competition erode sales and hammer its stock price down to the lowest ebb. According to the company, a special board committee will consider options that can enhance BlackBerry’s value and scale, including joint ventures, partnerships or a sale of the company, a statement recorded on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co will serve as its financial adviser in this regard. It may be recalled that BlackBerry shares had climbed 5.7% on August 9, the most recent trading day.

According to industry sources, it is also important to understand that before Thorsten Heins, became CEO and President of BlackBerry in January 2012, the company held talks with private equity firm Silver Lake Management LLC about possibly going private.