Those who’ve followed the news for RIM this past year know that the firm now looks something like a desert, with no oasis in sight.  There’s been a devaluation of action, a dismissal of interest by millions of consumers, delays in product launches, ongoing trials for patent infringement — the firm is facing the worst period in its history.

A weakened stock market and an extended wait time for the launch of its BlackBerry 10 platform, Research in Motion (RIM) is the subject of regular rumors of redemption by large groups interested in some activity for the company.

Even if the transition period before the arrival of the next platform should retain the enthusiasm of some buyers, discussions are regularly engaged for the recovery of certain resources, selling of the enterprise division or a total takeover by some other company for the Canadian manufacturer.

According to research firm IDC, RIM’s market share slid from 12 to 4.8 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2012. Meanwhile, Google and Android devices took up 68 percent of the market, and Apple’s iPhone saw its market share slip to 17 percent.

The latest setback has increased pressure on RIM to seriously explore other options, including measures that would amount to an admission that it cannot survive with its current strategy.

Now the questions is, are we going to see the curtains drop on RIM or will they seek an acquisition for an exit strategy before things get worse?  Many have posited that RIM should allow itself to be taken in by another tech company, and these talks have been going on for over a year now.  But who would benefit from RIM’s patents, staff and products?  Some companies mentioned include IBM, are Microsoft, Samsung, Oracle or even Dell.

Samsung denies interest in a takeover of RIM

Research in Motion recently enjoyed one of its best rebounding stock market shifts in the last seven months. The cause? A report analyst at Jefferies & Co. said that Samsung could acquire a license to use the BlackBerry 10, or outright acquire the technology giant of Waterloo in Ontario.

Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies, said that RIM wants to revive talks with Samsung surrounding the BB10 operating system. He said Samsung, through an acquisition of RIM, would directly gain access to its 80 million users and cut short its dependence on Google’s Android OS.

“We believe Samsung is considering ramping up its internal OS [operating system] development efforts, licensing BB10, or buying RIM,” he wrote. “We think any acquisition is unlikely until after BB10 launches.”

Samsung curbed the rumors that arose following the testimony of the analyst, and suggested that the South Korean firm will not be interested in investing in RIM, either in terms of redemption, or through a license agreement for Blackberry 10.

“Samsung Electronics has not considered the acquisition of Research in Motion or licensing BB10,” said Samsung.

RIM approached by IBM

Another round of rumors circulating in the air was that RIM has been approached by IBM to discuss a takeover of its services business.

Bloomberg reported that negotiations were held between RIM and the IBM group on the infrastructure part for an acquisition, whose value was estimated at $1.5 to $2.5 billion.

The acquisition of RIM’s enterprise-service business would give IBM an added advantage of maintaining a secure and speedy e-mail system that’s favored by many large enterprises.

However, it is not clear when the decision would take place, as both the companies have denied any talks at all.

An alliance with Microsoft?

According to information from the financial information site Bezinga, Microsoft would consider taking a 50 percent stake in RIM’s. After rumors of a possible takeover by Samsung and a denial of the abandonment by Samsung at later stage, it was Microsoft’s turn to fuel speculation about a possible merger.

Bezinga reported that Microsoft will invest $3.5 billion in RIM, which represents 50 percent of the capital behind the smartphone manufacturer. The merger would provide the Redmond company access to RIM’s extensive patent portfolio of RIM.

The other option as per the report is to abandon its own operating system and adopt the new version of Microsoft’s Windows OS, Windows 8. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had approached RIM in recent months in search of a similar association, which the software giant has with its long-term partnership with Nokia.

In addition, Microsoft may also be interested in RIM’s wireless patents. But both RIM and Microsoft made no comment.

Dell might be interested?

HP and Dell used to be the cradle of innovation, offering great ideas to the worldwide PC market that opened new frontiers in technology.  Since Apple changed the direction of the computer market with the launch of the iPhone in June 2007, Dell’s market value since then has dropped by 60 percent.

With the emergence of tablets and smartphones, PC penetration will further decline as more consumers prefer tablets instead of a personal computer. Dell had its chance with the Dell Streak 5 and 7 tablet series, but the company couldn’t capitalize on the growth of these devices.

Dell’s mobility business continues to show a considerable weakness, to the tune of a 19 percent year-over-year decline, and its PC business has also been chopped.  In addition, Dell’s revenue dropped by 14 percent annually when looking at both desktops and laptops.

Dell recognizes that the success of a tablet is not only based on its hardware configuration. That’s why the company is spending lots of effort on Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system. Dell is hoping that Windows 8-based products will rebound the company’s future.

The acquisition of RIM would not only provide the PC manufacturer a chance to compete with Apple, but also Amazon and Google. Dell could then leverage its mobility business with RIM assets such as BB10 software, existing enterprise presence, a growing music service and RIM’s Mobile Fusion product that supports collaboration of enterprise mobile devices.