Wild rumour of the week: Microsoft looking at buying BlackBerry

Multiple US sites are reporting rumours that bubbled up from America’s trading floors yesterday, claiming that Microsoft may be interested in buying BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM).

The thinking behind the stories runs like this: Google is developing its own mobile phone and/ or phone operating system. Microsoft doesn’t want to get left out in the cold. Microsoft decides to buy its way into a position of strength by acquiring BlackBerry.

Okay, but the world probably doesn’t want Windows Mobile loaded on BlackBerry handsets. So if Microsoft bought RIM, would that mean a rebranding of the BlackBerry OS as a Windows product? Or the development of BlackBerry’s OS into a replacement for Windows Mobile? Whatever happens, RIM shares closed 3% higher last night so its investors will be happy… At least in the short term.

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