Redmond hires firms to determine the value of BlackBerry

May 18, 2015 04:47 GMT  ·  By

This isn’t the first time we’re hearing such a rumor, but Microsoft is once again said to be interested in taking over Canadian phone manufacturer BlackBerry as part of a deal that would help the software giant expand its mobile efforts in the business industry and increase its share in key markets.

Betaville reports via sources close to the plans that Microsoft has already hired Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs to determine how much BlackBerry is worth, but the software giant hasn’t yet made an offer, so negotiations between the two companies are yet to start.

While it’s not clear if BlackBerry is for sale or not, it seems that it all depends on the amount of money Microsoft is willing to spend to take over the Canadian company. According to the very same report, Microsoft has a budget of $7 billion (€6.3 billion) for buying BlackBerry if negotiations go through.

BlackBerry patents, the main target

Some might believe that Microsoft is planning to purchase BlackBerry for its know-how in the business and phone security area, but it turns out that’s not the case.

The Redmond-based Windows developer is actually trying to get BlackBerry because of its patents, which could be then used for new technologies that would be implemented in Windows 10 Mobile.

Microsoft reportedly planned to license BlackBerry’s patents, but due to the high price that it might have to pay in the long term, it’s actually switching to a takeover that would bring in a lot more benefits and provide access not only to patents but also to technology, devices, and designs for the business industry.

Needless to say, Microsoft doesn’t want to comment on these rumors, and this isn’t the first time the software giant is linked to a possible acquisition of the Canadian phone maker, so take everything with a pinch of salt until an official statement is provided.

In the meantime, some other companies might be looking at BlackBerry for a potential takeover, including Microsoft’s long-time rival Apple, which is also seeking new ways to expand in the enterprise market. Just like in Microsoft’s case, the talks with Apple are yet to be confirmed.