What could end up being a very important story has filtered through from Engadget Mobile. There’s a rather strong rumour going round that Microsoft may be eyeing up RIM. Or, as they’re better-known, the ones who make Blackberry mobile phones.
Hmm, we’ve heard that before. But, should we give the rumour any credence?
Well, normally, I’d say no, it’s just the normal scaremongering we often see round mobile phones, but once you factor in the so-called credit crunch, and this big global recession, things start to get intriguing. To fully appreciate why, you need to look at RIM’s share price.
Four months ago, they were valued at $148 per share, a nice healthy figure.
Today, despite Blackberry mobile phones having taken off in a big way, and generally being amongst the best mobile phones on the market, the shares stand at roughly about $60 per share.
That’s a hell of a drop!
Now factor in two important things:
1. Microsoft have shown and interest in buying RIM before.
2. Microsoft aren’t exactly strapped for cash.
If you look at it from a business point of view, too, it makes an incredible amount of sense, from Microsoft’s point of view, to grab hold of RIM, and get the stuff that makes Blackberry mobile phones so cool. Think about it… All the secrets and massive user base for Blackberry emails… That innovative new clicky-screen on the Blackberry Storm… The huge penetration that Blackberry mobile phones have made into the business marketplace, where just about every handset you see is a Blackberry.
Yup, it makes an awful lot of sense for Microsoft to grab hold of them. Whether it’ll actually happen or not is a different matter, but if their share price does keep dropping, don’t be too surprised if it does happen…
Check out the Blackberry Storm, before Microsoft get their hands on it!
