Vodafone in rumoured RIM takeover for BlackBerry

New rumours are suggesting that mobile operator Vodafone may be lining up a takeover bid of BlackBerry phone makers RIM.

Neither company has commented on the speculation, but that’s not stopped the stock market from doing some of the talking for them. Following the spread of the rumour, RIM shares jumped 12 per cent, while Vodafone’s stock began to slide.

RIM have struggled of late, with their handsets not causing quite the stir that iOS and Android rivals have, while their PlayBook tablet was met with (at best) a lukewarm reception. It makes perfect sense for them to be a takeover target.

But with Vodafone as the buyer? Unlikely we’d say. Though the network has a business-orientated approach that suits a large part of BlackBerry’s target audience well, and though they have made their own entry-level branded handsets in the past, Vodafone remain very much a network and not a mobile maker.

Even early reports from The Independent place the network as “one of the potential aggressors”.

We’ll keep you posted on any developments, but we wouldn’t expect much more than outright denial from both parties involved.