Poor old Palm. Even after going cap in hand to all the world’s major handset makers, the firm still can’t seem to find a solid buyer. But could there be some small pinprick of light at the end of the dark tunnel?
According to reports by Reuters, Lenovo the world’s fourth largest PC brand has emerged as a clear favourite to buy Palm, which is rumoured to be for sale to anyone willing to pony up a cool $1.2 to $1.3 billion. Or somewhere thereabouts.
Recent speculation about Palm being up for sale led to a mad rush by analysts to play match maker, but Cupid’s arrow has yet to hit any viable target, with Asian manufacturers turning their noses up one by one at the prospect of taking urchin Palm in from the cold, cruel streets.
Up until recently, many sources had pegged HTC as the clear favourite to acquire Palm, but the world’s fifth largest smartphone brand obviously doesn’t know what the dickens to do with the cash strapped company whose books aren’t up to scratch, with even WebOS deemed unworthy of HTC’s workhouse.
According to a source close to the matter “there just weren’t enough synergies to take the deal forward.” Probably because HTC would have to pick a pocket or two to push the deal through.
Huawei, the world’s number two wireless telecoms equipment manufacturer was also rumoured to be in the running, but subsequently refused to bid for the failing company.
Where all this leaves Palm is anyone’s guess, but from the outside things don’t look too rosy for the company if so many big names are deciding not to acquire them.
“Oh for heaven’s sake, just let Palm die already!” one analyst told RCR recently “This whole business, well, it’s so pathetic and desperate.”
Oh, Palm, in the words of Oliver Twist, where is love?
