Update: BlackBerry is denying the story:
BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) (“BlackBerry”) is aware of certain press reports published today with respect to a possible offer by Samsung to purchase BlackBerry. BlackBerry has not engaged in discussions with Samsung with respect to any possible offer to purchase BlackBerry. BlackBerry’s policy is not to comment on rumors or speculation, and accordingly it does not intend to comment further.
Samsung approached BlackBerry regarding a possible takeover of the company for as high as $7.5 billion, according to a report from Reuters (via CNBC). BlackBerry stock has jumped 16% following the report.
Blackberry stock skyrocketed Wednesday afternoon after a report that the device maker had been approached by Samsung about a potential takeover… At its high, Blackberry was up more than 21 percent… South Korea’s Samsung proposed an initial price range of $13.35 to $15.49 per share, which represents a premium of 38 percent to 60 percent over BlackBerry’s current trading price, the source said.
The report says executives from Samsung and BlackBerry met last week regarding the possible takeover, but both companies declined to offer a statement to Reuters for the story. The buy would be mostly for access to the patent treasure trove according to the GlobeandMail.
Smartphone company Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has recently approached BlackBerry Ltd to buy the company for as much as $7.5-billion, looking to gain access to its patent portfolio, according to a person familiar with the matter and documents seen by Reuters. South Korea’s Samsung proposed an initial price range of $13.35 to $15.49 per share, which represents a premium of 38 per-cent to 60 per-cent over BlackBerry’s current trading price, the source said.
Recently Samsung announced a partnership with BlackBerry in an attempt to push its Knox security services and mobile devices to enterprise customers, and it’s likely Samsung would be after BlackBerry’s patents and presence in the enterprise. The companies announced in November that the partnership would include bringing BlackBerry’s BES12 platform to Samsung Galaxy devices equipped with Knox.
BlackBerry currently develops its enterprise platforms and BBM messaging services for both iOS and Android, but what an acquisition might mean for support on non-Samsung devices remains to be seen.
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Samsung buying patents?! There must be snowball fights going on in Hell!
I was thinking the same thing lol
They have no shame.
Apple buys companies for patents all the time. Good lord.
So does that statement goes towards Apple as well? Does Apple have no shame for buying out companies for patents? Does that go for Microsoft for buying Nokia as well? Hmm….
WHy? They should just copy them and drag out any litigation for the next 10 years until Blackberry is bone dry of cash….
Samsung’s running out of bright ideas.
Does that mean Apple is as well, seeing as they buy companies for patents all the time?
That sounds like it’s about $7.49999 billion too much
Ugh! I hate Samsung and Blackberry worse than Apple!
Why do you hate Blackberry? Blackberry has not sued any company for stupidity including round icons or designs for a device. Only a few things unlike Apple & Samsung. If you also read the other websites is that Blackberry released a statement saying they are NOT being sold to Samsung & there is no talks about selling it to them or a deal.
So why hate Blackberry exactly?
No one wants devices, I can’t believe it took them years for them to make a product that went against the iPhone but by then it was too late and no one wanted a blackberry anymore.
At least Nokia is still around…
Windows phone will do better with Microsoft and android will do good with Nokia.
Blackberry isn’t going to be selling any phones unless they switch to a modern os
So if Blackberry doesn’t comment on rumors or speculation, why are they commenting that they haven’t been in discussions with Samsung. In the future if they make a statement that they don’t comment on rumors, but do not offer a denial, then we can assume it’s true? Anyone else think that’s weird?
Not going to lie but doesn’t ever company do that? Apple, Samsung, Blackberry, Nokia, Microsoft & others. So yea….
Sorry I wasn’t more clear. Apple makes the boiler plate statement that says they don’t comment on rumors etc. Everyone does that to an extent as you point out. The difference here is that Blackberry doesn’t stop there. They go on to deny it, therefore giving a response beyond just saying no comment.