I remember years ago several Finns were on this site gloating about how Nokia owned the smartphone world and this was evidence of Finn tech prowess. My my, how times have changes. First Apple swallowed their market, and now Google has swallowed Apple's. Nokia is not even getting bought by one of the big guys...they are now owned by the distant 3rd runner up. http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/03/microsoft-terry-myerson-nokia-windows-phone-ecosystem/ It is still not going anywhere of course. Microsoft still doesn't really get it. They have stripped the features that make Windows so popular and are trying to copy Apple's closed system model.
Nokia has always had dominant technology and no brand. The Matrix was their biggest bump... and their tech is so far beyond... so many missteps... and so strong was the force with nokia. MeeGo was the (*)(*)(*)(*)ing future. Such brilliant architecture. The Finns were right, and Microsoft was brilliant to make this move. It is a travesty that Nokia is relegated to MS for an OS. They can innovate now. They have the best hw and engineering teams in the biz.
Right now, all I am thinking is how Microsoft would revive Nokia because it's a dead brand already. I hope the acquisition pays off.
I don't see how it will. MS bought Nokia in an attempt to save money (in the long run). However, for the most part, this deal won't affect consumers. Nokia has already been making Windows phones for some time. The Nokia hardware has always been good, the problem is MS and it's Windows Mobile OS. It's crap, it's ugly, it lacks features and software, and consumers don't want it. Android is amazing, and its integration with all Google services is unparalleled. Hell, I hate the iPhone and iOS, but I'd still use one over a Windows phone any day. I don't see this going well for Microsoft.
Microsoft will be buried under the Android Avalanche. Eventually, Apple will as well. Android is the new Windows for Phones. It is not that Nokia or their OS sucked, or even that WP sucks. It's just that Android is THAT good. It is extremely flexible (at both high and low level) and free, and non-proprietary, and now it is very polished as well. Microkia is too little too late. Both Microsoft and Nokia could have each come up with real competition for Android had they not sat on their asses for 2 or 3 years. They missed the boat. Barring a miracle, there is not a chance in hell of them catching up to Android. I would be impressed if they even manage to carve a niche like Apple has, but i do not see that happening either. Nokia will be like Blackberry, circling the drain for a few years until they are sold by Microsoft for scrap. Unless Microsoft goes to Android, I doubt they will ever go any further either. Their closed system model is unappealing because it is limited, and does not offer anything at all to the consumer that they cannot already get elsewhere.
No, the fins were wrong. Nokia got lazy and fell behind. And American companies (Google, Apple, Microsoft) exploited it. Google leapfrogged them technologically, Apple out-marketed them, and Microsoft now owns them. Their only hope now is it an American company can turn their lemons into lemonade. Not that it will help them in the long run. They are now an indentured servant to Microsoft, no matter what they develop. The Fins were wrong...they got outfoxed by more dynamic American companies. They are not king of the hill anymore. They've been de-throned.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timwors...son-microsoft-bought-nokia-transaction-costs/ Also, tax reasons: http://betanews.com/2013/09/05/why-microsoft-really-bought-nokia/ Or, because Nokia was probably going to stop making Windows phones: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/why-microsoft-really-bought-nokia-134644902.html
