Lenovo may be a suitor for RIM’s smartphone business

RIM, which is planning to launch its BlackBerry 10 platform next week, has been reviewing its options for what seems like forever, as CEO Thorsten Heins has mentioned time and again that the company would pursue either licensing its software division or selling its hardware business. Now it seems that all of that talk has drawn some interest from other companies, as Lenovo revealed today that it is looking at all opportunities to expand its mobile business, including a possible deal with RIM.

“We are looking at all opportunities — RIM and many others,” said Lenovo chief financial officer Wong Wai Ming, as quoted by Bloomberg. “We’ll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along that could benefit us and shareholders.”

RIM has been reviewing its options ever since CEO Heins took over from former co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie early in 2012. Lenovo, which has a presence in the Chinese mobile phone market, has yet to break into the western mobile phone market in a meaningful way. Its not clear whether Lenovo is more interested in RIM’s software business or its hardware business, or if a deal will even happen between the two companies, but it should prove to be an interesting story to watch.