Olympus sought as partner because it is an established maker of medical equipment

Feb 1, 2012 14:51 GMT  ·  By

After a debunked rumor about possibly acquiring Olympus' camera business, Samsung is reported to be seeking ties with the company for its other assets.

In short, Samsung wants a partnership with Olympus, reportedly because of the latter's expertise in making medical equipment.

It is not alone in that either. Fujifilm, Sony and Panasonic also want the same thing, according to Mainichi.

A tie with either or all of the companies could be just what Olympus needs, knowing the $1.7 billion (1.29 billion Euro) accounting discrepancy it is faced with at the moment.

These are all still closed rumors, though, and it is Sony, not Samsung, that is said to be the company most likely to secure a deal.

Of course, there is no rule saying Olympus can't enter partnerships with all of them, unless they all impose some sort of exclusivity clause or whatnot.