Recent events surrounding former phone-making titan, Research In Motion, the company behind the BlackBerry (News - Alert), have spawned some chatter. But a recent report suggests the handset line of Research In Motion may have at least a couple of potential buyers.
According to the report, both Facebook (News - Alert) and Amazon are potential customers of RIM's handset business. Should such a deal go through, RIM would keep its enterprise services business while selling off the handsets.
The report itself, meanwhile, is being treated with some skepticism in its own right, as it cites no sources. Yet statements from RIM itself, including one from RIM representatives in a report to CNET, said that "RIM has hired advisers to help the company examine ways to leverage the BlackBerry platform through partnerships, licensing opportunities and strategic business model alternatives."
That's where the speculation is. It's already known that Facebook has at least some designs on a mobile phone brand of its own, so picking up RIM's patents and phones could be a good springboard for Facebook to finally make their own hardware.
With completed phone models in hand, they'd simply have to refine them to taste, which is much easier than building a phone from the ground up. Though the concept of a Facebook phone doesn't sit well with consumers, one with at least partial design by BlackBerry may change a few minds.
Amazon is a relative newcomer to this field, but considering its success with the Kindle and the Kindle Fire, a Kindle phone might be worth looking into. The Amazon content network has given them a substantial edge, as well as its lower entry point price-wise, so bringing a phone into the mix could be a smart move.
A phone with its own content network, however, may not appeal to some network providers.
Since RIM plans to announce its quarterly earnings on June 28, more information about this move may follow. Since there are so many possibilities, it will certainly warrant watching to see just what becomes of it all.
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