It seems the outlook for BlackBerry is growing more bleak by the day. Only hours after the company introduced a new 5-inch smartphone, the Z30, a report from The Wall Street Journal says up to 40 percent of BlackBerry's workforce could be laid off by year's end. Citing people familiar with the matter, the report claims that thousands employees are likely to be impacted by the deep cuts, which will span all departments of the troubled manufacturer. Responding to the report, a spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal, "Organizational moves will continue to occur to ensure we have the right people in the right roles to drive new opportunities in mobile computing."

The layoff rumors come amid other reports that BlackBerry's board is trying to find a buyer for the once-powerful smartphone brand. The Journal previously claimed that BlackBerry hopes to have a sale arranged by November. Such a deal could see BlackBerry split apart, though other suitors have expressed interest in buying the company outright.