Shareholders are breathing once more as the smartphone manufacturer inks a deal for its sale.
BlackBerry has finally struck a deal that is topping technology news headlines, as a consortium that is lead by its largest shareholder – Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. – made an offer that it could not refuse.
The deal couldn’t come at a better time, stopping the downward spiral of the company’s share price.
Trading of the BlackBerry stocks came to a dead halt when it accepted an offer to be bought out by the consortium, led by the Canadian company. This sale will purchase the withering smartphone manufacturer for $9 (US) per share, which was above the price at which the stocks were being sold when they stopped trading. That said, this technology news figure is also well below the price at which the stocks were being sold before they began their freefall on Friday.
This technology news arrived just after the company declared its devastating second quarter losses.
On Friday, the company started a complete meltdown of its share prices when it released the highly unpleasant technology news in which it stated that it had lost $1 billion in sales during the second quarter.
The technology news headlines have been heavily focused on BlackBerry, lately, as it unexpectedly launched a new handset and made its BBM messenger service available to Android and iOS based device users. Even these moves couldn’t come close to rescuing the company as it continued its rapid downward slide. Analysts and industry experts were releasing dozens of predictions regarding the future of the company, from sale to rebuilding itself, and from bankruptcy to breaking itself up and selling off the pieces.
Finally, the light shone at the end of the tunnel as the more definitive technology news was announced to reveal that Blackberry would, indeed, be sold, for an estimated $4.7 billion, all in cash. The Fairfax shares will also be applied against the deal. This could mean that there is a promising private sector future ahead of the tech company, once more, though the precise details of that future have yet to be known.
Mobile games are coming to the TV with the help of Sony
Acclaimed Japanese technology giant Sony has taken a bold step in the game industry by unveiling its new PS Vita TV, a small but powerful console based on the company’s modestly popular Playstation Vita. Unlike its handheld counterpart, the PS Vita TV does not feature a screen or any sort of controls. Instead, the console allows users to play games exclusive to the Vita on their televisions, without actually having to own a Vita console. This could set Sony up to compete with others that have been showing a strong interest in mobile games.
Game industry continues showing support for mobile titles
While mobile games are often played by consumers on the move, the vast majority of people playing these games do so from home. Smartphones and tablets are preferred platforms for many, but other handheld devices, such as the Playstation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS, have become a staple among gamers interested in portability. Recently, several game companies have been looking to take advantage of the popularity of mobile games by creating consoles that allow consumers to play these games on a bigger screen and with better controls. The Ouya is one of the most recent, as well as most criticized, console to attempt to accomplish this.
PS Vita TV to make Vita games more accessible
PS Vita TV will support all Vita games and will cost approximately $100 for the standard edition. While there are not many Vita games available today when compared to games exclusive to its handheld counterparts, these games typically receive high praise from the game industry and avid gamers. There are many developers interested in mobile games that are looking to bring new titles to the Vita as well and these future games will also be supported by PS Vita TV.
Mobile games continue to gain favor with consumers
When many people think of mobile games, they usually get the idea of gaming applications played on smartphones and tablets. Mobile games were common on handheld consoles long before smartphones were invented, however, and mobile gaming has evolved aggressively over the past decade. Today, consumers have become very comfortable with the concept of mobile gaming, which has encouraged the game industry to attribute more attention to this sector in recent years.
