The Canadian smartphone maker said it has formed a special committee tasked with "exploring strategic alternatives to enhance value and increase sale" of the Blackberry 10 platform. The possible options contemplated are possible joint ventures, strategic partnerships and a sale of the company.
Related: BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins: In Five Years There Will Be No Reason For Tablets
"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," Timothy Dattels, chairman of BlackBerry's special committee, said in a statement.
The move comes as Blackberry is struggling to stay relevant in the US where Apple and Google have dominated all competition.
Related: BBM For iPhone And Android Gets Official Release Date [VIDEO]
Earlier this year, Blackberry released the new Blackberry 10 platform and a variety of new devices but none have been a hit with consumers.
"As the special committee focuses on exploring alternatives, we will be continuing with our strategy of reducing cost, driving efficiency and accelerating the deployment of BES 10, as well as driving adoption of BlackBerry 10 smartphones," Thorsten Heins, Blackberry Chief Executive, said in a statement Monday.
Blackberry also announced that chairman and chief executive of Fairfax Financial, Prem Watsa, was resigning from the board due to the possibility of conflicts. Watsa is the largest BlackBerry shareholder and may be interested in purchasing the company.
Related: Fake Android BBM App Yanked By Google After Thousands Of Users Are Tricked Into Downloading
"I continue to be a strong supporter of the company, the board and management as they move forward during this process, and Fairfax Financial has no current intention of selling its shares," Watsa said in the statement.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
