Chinese computer maker Lenovo is in talks to buy NEC's mobile business, Reuters reports citing sources familiar with the matter.
Japan's NEC is also talking with potential domestic buyers, the source said. Lenovo is a logical partner to NEC, though, given the two companies have already established a PC-building joint venture in 2011 - Lenovo NEC Holdings.
"Amid the rapidly changing market we are considering a number of ways to bolster the competitiveness of our mobile phone business, but nothing has been decided," NEC said in a statement.
NEC, which has been forced to lay off 10,000 workers in 2012, has a tiny global smartphone market share, but it hovers around the fourth place in Japan. It does, however, have some very interesting smartphones, namely the dual-scree Medias W we've seen at this year's Mobile World Congress.