Samsung not interested in buying RIM


18 Jan 2012

RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie

Samsung has said it is not interested in acquiring BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) after reports suggested that RIM’s co-CEO Jim Balsillie had met with Samsung.

A report from BGR stated that RIM, in an attempt to reverse its fortunes, was in talks to licence its software to other companies. It said RIM was considering selling some of its divisions off or its entire company and Samsung, in particular, was targeted as a potential buyer.

However, a Samsung spokesperson told Reuters the company hasn’t “considered acquiring” RIM and are “not interested” in doing so. He also said Balsillie had not approached Samsung about a possible acquisition, though he did not say anything about Samsung purchasing some of RIM’s assets or software licences.

RIM has been struggling to compete in the smartphone market and has been hit with a number of setbacks, including BlackBerry service outages, a delay on BlackBerry 10 devices until late 2012 and two of its executives’ drunken behaviour on an Air Canada flight.

Rumours about RIM’s potential sell-off have been circulating for some time. RIM’s shares jumped more than 10pc based on BGR’s report.