Looking at strategic alternatives
“Given the importance and strength of our technology, and the evolving industry and competitive landscape, we believe that now is the right time to explore strategic alternatives”, says Thorsten Stein in the press release. Next to completely selling the company, there are also a few other options. Blackberry can choose for a joint venture or it can look for partners at other companies. Even a stock exchange delisting is not out of the question.
In the early days of the breakthrough of the smartphone, Blackberry was the absolute reference. The competition of the iPhone and other smartphones eventually became too much to handle for Blackberry. It also stubbornly kept choosing for a full keyboard, instead of switching to the more popular touchscreen.
Only a few percent remains of what was once a major market share. The launch of Blackberry 10, the new operating system, and devices to go with it brought no change for the company.
