Poll: What Will Happen To BlackBerry?

This week BlackBerry effectively put itself up for sale, after years of struggle. But is it all over for the smartphone maker whose devices have been the undisputed leader for mobile working?

To be honest, we don’t know. There are plenty of options for the troubled tech icon, from taking itself off the stock market in a deal to go private. Or it could be bought, by Dell, for instance.  Or Lenovo?  Our latest poll sets out all the options we can think of, and hands it over to you.

BlackBerry options

In our last poll on the subject, in March, our readers backed BlackBerry to survive intact. The newly-launched Z10 had a favourable reception from some, and two-thirds of you thought the firm could invent its way out of trouble

Supporters believe that BlackBerry’s new BB10 operating system will be enough to keep its loyal user and win a whole new band of friends.

Blackberry apparently isn’t 100 percent sure of this, with its decision to launch a new phone running the older 7.1 version of the BlackBerry OS.

But it’s got money, and it’s been suggested that an investment company might intervene and help take it private, off the stock market, where it can invest in turning the company round without having to bow to stockholders” expectations of a profit every quarter.

In the past, it has been suggested that various tech giants might buy the struggling smartphone maker. In particular, Dell and Lenovo have been mentioned, while Microsoft was the most favoured suitor in our last poll. .

But buying up a struggling phone maker doesn’t always go according to plan – ask HP how things went with Palm, for instance.

If nothing happens there’s a gloomy prospect for BlackBerry. Let us know which way you think it will go.

What do you know about BlackBerrys? Find out with our quiz!