IBM Wants to Buy RIM's Enterprise Service Unit if BB10 Flops

From DailyTech: Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM is facing a daunting task by trying to make its next generation BlackBerry – which is running the new QNX-derived BlackBerry 10 operating system -- a success. Due out next year, RIM must somehow trying to jump over a series of high hurdles including impotent management, weakening brand image, a crowded market, and a significantly shrinking engineering department.

To be successful, RIM must beat rivals like Google Inc. (GOOG), Samsung Electronic Comp., Ltd. (KSC:005930) and Apple, Inc. (AAPL) who have proven success in consumer smartphone sales, as well as struggling, but deeper-pocket players like Microsoft Corp. (MSFT).

If the much-hyped and much-delayed BB10 platform is unable to beat the rest of the field in features and revive sales -- an outcome expected by many -- RIM's leadership will likely be forced into the option they have resisted the most -- a break-up and sale.

In a new report by Bloomberg, two sources close to RIM and the independent bank review panel -- the Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY) and JPMorgan Chase & Comp. (JPM) -- it hired to assess its options say that International Business Machines, Inc. (IBM) has approached RIM with serious interest to purchase its enterprise division. IBM is one of the enterprise technology sphere's greatest powers and it arguably has the experience to repurpose the unit, hence this seems like a reasonable fit.

But analysts say the potential sale will likely be put on hold while RIM waits to see whether BB10 finds fortune or failure. Adnaan Ahmad, an analyst at Berenberg with a sell rating on RIM’s shares, comments, "If they were to offload this, they are offloading their jewel. They want to give BlackBerry 10 a go, so I don’t think this would happen until next year."

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