The BlackBerry's takeover story may have a new chapter

The story of the BlackBerry's takeover could be a new chapter, the source said, and the protagonist became the Chinese manufacturer Lenovo Group.

Lenovo is considering a bid to buy the BlackBerry as a whole, and has signed a confidentiality agreement with the BlackBerry, which it has the right to look at the BlackBerry's accounts, the report said. But neither Lenovo nor the BlackBerry commented on the report. Last month, Fairfax Holdings, the BlackBerry's major shareholder, had submitted an initial privatisation package in the hope of privatizing the company with 4.7 billion dollars. Lenovo's mergers and acquisitions will change that.

Last week, both BlackBerry co-founder Mack Lazaridis Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin (Douglas Fregin) expressed interest in bidding for the BlackBerry. This week, Cerberus Capital Management LP, a US private-equity firm adept at disposing of distressed assets, has signed a confidentiality agreement with the BlackBerry to check the financial information of the Canadian smartphone maker to draw up a bid for a privatised BlackBerry.

Alberta Investment Management, chief executive of the company that considered bidding for the BlackBerry, said earlier in the month that the BlackBerry split was more likely to be sold, but it did not mean the buyer was willing to remove the BlackBerry.

Lenovo's takeover of the BlackBerry is one of the biggest and most attractive deals that Chinese companies have ever acquired from a well-known Western company. If the news is true, the deal will certainly face detailed investigation by the Canadian government and the U.S. government.

The news boosted the BlackBerry's share price, which rose to $8.45 in Thursday on the Nasdaq.