Research In Motion CEO Thorsten Heins has openly flirted with the idea of licensing the company's software
in the run-up to launch of BlackBerry 10. Heins today revealed that
he's also open to getting out of the manufacturing business entirely and
sell RIM's handset operations.
In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt, Heins said that RIM
would consider selling its smartphone operations or licensing its
software to other companies. Heins had previously stated that all
options were on the table related to the licensing of BB10, but he now
says that a sale is on the table as well. Of course, any potential
change in RIM's business model is contingent on the successful launch of
BlackBerry 10, which is set to debut January 30. If BB10 manages to
regain some of RIM's lost market share or at least stop the trend of
customers abandoning the platform for Android or Apple iOS, it would
make BlackBerry a more attractive product.
Heins told Die Welt (translated by Google):
Before you licensed the software, you must show that the platform has
a large potential. First we have to fulfill our promises. If such
proof, a licensing is conceivable.
Should RIM decide to sell its handset manufacturing business, it would
follow the path of Google and Microsoft and focus on licensing software
rather than controlling both the hardware and software portions of the
business. It could also decide to continue manufacturing phones and
license to other companies, like Samsung or LG. Heins says the company
will conduct a strategic review after it launches BlackBerry 10 and then
assesses its options
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