Analysts believe Lenovo, Huawei could be bidders

Buying struggling BlackBerry Ltd would help a Chinese smartphone vendor to build a stronger global presence in the short term, analysts said on Wednesday, adding Lenovo Group Ltd and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd could be the top bidders for the Canadian company.

In addition to possessing a huge number of patents in the smartphone sector, BlackBerry's long-accumulated expertise and resources in product development, operating systems, channels, operator relationships, brand and management are valuable assets for Chinese companies that want to build a serious presence outside China, according to Nicole Peng, research director of research company Canalys China.

Among the top potential buyers of BlackBerry, Lenovo and Huawei are the most likely because they are willing to enter the global consumer electronics market, experts said.[Photo/China Daily]

The comment came after the company, based in Waterloo, Canada, said this week it is considering selling itself to another smartphone maker.

The company decided to explore "strategic" options because its long-awaited latest device failed to grab enough market share after its release in January.

The global market share of BlackBerry devices declined nearly 12 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, data from the United States consultancy IDC showed. It is still early days for the new platform and BlackBerry will need time and resources to attract more end-users, according to IDC.

Among the top potential buyers of BlackBerry, Lenovo and Huawei are the most likely because they are willing to enter the global consumer electronics market, experts said.

Lenovo said in a statement on Wednesday that the company may beef up its consumer electronics arm through mergers and acquisitions. But the company did not name any potential target.

Huawei Technologies was not available for comment on Wednesday.