FutureFive New Zealand - Consumer technology news & reviews from the future
Story image
Lenovo looking at BlackBerry takeover?
Wed, 13th Mar 2013
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Lenovo may consider an acquisition of BlackBerry at some point in the future, causing company shares to rally.

Fueling speculation of a takeover, the Chinese company's CEO responded by questions by the French press about whether a deal for the struggling Canadian firm could be made.

"External growth remains a question of opportunities," said Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo's CEO, in an interview with Les Echos.

"As for BlackBerry, the file could eventually make sense, but I must first analyse the market and understand the exact weight of this company."

Combined with news that AT&T will start selling the new BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen across America later this month, shares in the company rose 14% during Monday trading.

After ditching it's Research In Motion name earlier this year to operate under the name BlackBerry, the company has transformed itself inside out, "defining it's vision" in the process.

“It is one brand; it is one promise," said BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins at the time.

Re-designed, re-engineered and reinvented was the chosen line back in January, and BlackBerry will be hoping to act on it's promise in the coming years, after giving away most of it's market share to Apple and Samsung.

With BlackBerry's Global Creative Director Alicia Keys now out the door, maybe the company suddenly appears more attractive across the globe?

In what has been a make or break few months for the company, analysts still remain skeptical that BlackBerry's fortune is about to change.

"We believe a takeout of BlackBerry is unlikely, especially in the near term, nor is our investment thesis or 'outperform' rating predicated on such an event," said Maynard Um, Wells Fargo analyst.

Whether the Canadian government would be keen to approve a takeover by a Chinese company also remains to be seen, with the country treating BlackBerry as it's crown jewel.

IBM has previously been linked with a takeover of the then Research In Motion, eventually amounting to nothing.

And let's not forget Lenovo also downplayed similar rumours back in January, days before the transformation of the struggling company.

With this in mind, maybe BlackBerry won't be celebrating just yet.

Does a Lenovo takeover of BlackBerry make sense? Tell us your thoughts below