RIM takeover rumours persist

The Canadian government is reported to have been monitoring the possibility of a foreign takeover of Research In Motion (RIM), with a senior minister prepared to discuss foreign investment rules with Thorsten Heins, the BlackBerry-maker’s CEO, according to Reuters.

While RIM has said it is reviewing the strategic options for its business, it has stopped short of explicitly stating that it is up for sale. Rumours and speculation have linked the smartphone maker with Samsung and IBM, although the former has already played this down.

The Reuters report said that while the authorities were prepared to address the issues with RIM if they arose, Heins has not broached the topic – meaning it has not been discussed.

According to reports this week, RIM has recently laid-off a number of staff in Canada, including 25 per cent of its workforce in Halifax, Nova Scotia.