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So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

It finally happened. Ballmer on his way out, Elop still inexplicably in as CEO of Nokia. Windows Phone a flop, Windows 8 RT a bigger flop.

And now... for 7.17 Billion - 2 Billion for patents alone, Microsoft purchases Nokia and Elop is set to rejoin Microsoft.

The deal down at AllthingsD and the official Nokia press release here...

Wow.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Not unexpected. Ballmer stepped down, Nokia is the only serious manufacturer of WP8 devices, they needed Nokia to continue their plan of getting into mobile domain...

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Well, I certainly hope the predictions of an SEC investigation ("if it ever were to happen") come true. To say this wasn't obvious from the start of his bumbling/sabotage would be beyond absurd.

No-one who can achieve a CEO position in any company should ever be capable of making the horrible decisions Elop made. Every time I saw him speak, every time I read of his speeches, I was stunned at how he would repeatedly shoot Nokia in the foot. NO CEO should EVER state how crappy their products are, how they're ending support for them and no-one should buy them, etc. "Wait for the next product line.", etc. This is the polar opposite of what successful companies do... just look at Apple - they don't want you to know when the new product is coming, or what its details are as they don't want to lose your _current_ business.

Ugh... I'll stop ranting, I know I'm not saying anything new... I just hope jailtime is involved in this one as this has been criminal in a way that's obvious to the entire planet.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Expect patent trolling to reach new heights...

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Of all times to do this, why now? Nokia was dirt cheap at one point.

I'm pretty sad, but they had a good run. Thank you, all the employees that worked on making cool devices for us to use.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmerl (Post 1371432)

Expect patent trolling to reach new heights...

Bingo. I was halfway expecting another press release from Ballmer stating that now Microsoft has the patent on cellphones. All cellphones.

Oh, get this... Elop has stepped down as CEO, is now the Executive VP of Devices and Services... so he can transition back to his home... erm, Microsoft.

SEC won't touch this one. Damn shame too.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

I wish this could be stopped on some antitrust grounds. MS does not need more tools to stifle competition.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

ballmer stepped down. great timing for MS. Nokia.. what a mess.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

So, Gates finally decided to buy finland and get nokia as an extra, heh.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

This comes on as no surprise really. The track record of Microsoft is clear and unbroken; all companies partnering with MS will get the short end of the stick eventually.

Either they will be bought out by MS or their business trashed & ruined.

Now I am curious about the Nokia name though. Will the current networks business be able to continue as Nokia Solutions and Networks or does this somehow affect it too?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

So, Elop's mission for Microsoft is accomplished.

Nokia is dead and the re-possessed corpse (IP, patents) can be a very useful tool for bullying the remaining mobile industry.

Partnering with MS instead of pursuing the Maemo-derivative path and remaining a proud and sought-after European brand "not approved by the NSA" has paid off handsomely.

Apart from the intellectual property value and what little remains of the Nokia brand "goodwill", by buying off the remains MS is able to cover up much of the financial disaster that is windowsphone.

Heartfelt thanks to all Nokia managers and directors, past and present, who made this "dream" come true.

What comes to a funeral ditty, there's nothing like celebrating the present and the future with a fine song from the past.

Oh Finland...

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/monty-python/finland.html

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by number41 (Post 1371446)

So, Gates finally decided to buy finland and get nokia as an extra, heh.

Gates does not work for MS anymore.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Now that MS bought Nokia, the only thing they need is a decent OS.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

So.... How long will the lights stay on?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

This could mark the beginning of the end of WP.
Probably all the other manufacturers building Windows phones will stop doing so, because it's not profitable anymore since Microsoft sells their own Windows phones now.
This would make Microsoft the only WP vendor left and they never had success with hardware.

R.I.P. WP

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quoting Koushik Dutta on Google+:
Step 1) Send Microsoft sleeper agent, Stephen Elop, into Nokia
Step 2) Drive Nokia into the ground by going all in on Windows Phone
Step 3) Buy Nokia at discount

I think a LOT of people saw this coming the moment Nokia hired on a Microsoft moleman.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

The writing was on the wall for some time:

http://www.asymco.com/wp-content/upl...1.48.21-PM.png

In fact, it seems as if Nokia started collapsing the very same day Elop was appointed - which I'm sure is no coincidence. I keep hoping that Microsoft's hamfisted approach to consumer electronics will eventually put them out of business for good, but their unfair business practices in the OS market appears to provide a healthy enough supply of money to keep the f***-ups coming. That said, paying just $7bn for a company that only a couple of years ago had a market capitalisation of some $250bn is a stupendous bargain.

The bull has entered the china shop.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

The Ship finally sinks and Nokia is dead. Nokia had some great devices before they started sucking.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by number41 (Post 1371446)

So, Gates finally decided to buy finland and get nokia as an extra, heh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmerl (Post 1371470)

Gates does not work for MS anymore.

Of course not. He owns it.
So what was your point?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by juiceme (Post 1371452)

Now I am curious about the Nokia name though. Will the current networks business be able to continue as Nokia Solutions and Networks or does this somehow affect it too?

Microsoft just bought the handset business unit. NSN and Nokia's patents will remain with Nokia - as far as I understand.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

What an utter, ****ed up, immense, incredible, EPIC FAIL. :(((
So long Nokia, thanks for all the good phones!
EDIT : I hardly believe this will change any outline for M$ in mobile.
After skype, another expensive purchase for, well, a failure.

So 4 years after this deal, Nokia will be able to make smartphones again?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranbaxy (Post 1371521)

Microsoft just bought the handset business unit. NSN and Nokia's patents will remain with Nokia - as far as I understand.

Check here for details:
http://allthingsd.com/20130902/micro...billion-euros/

MS will keep 32,000 jobs. Let go of 56,000 employees. I wonder how Finland feels about all this? Also, they're selling away their Asha stuff too. Derp.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

I wonder if this will increase the chances of Here Maps being available for Jolla.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by billranton (Post 1371548)

I wonder if this will increase the chances of Here Maps being available for Jolla.

Here Maps is going to Microsoft. Why would that INCREASE the chances? If anything, they're likely to start locking it down more as a Microsoft Windows 8/Phone/etc. exclusive.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Steve Ballmer's internal email explains Nokia's integration with Microsoft

Quote:

Ballmer explained the Nokia acquisition and how things will work once the deal is complete in an email to employees. According to the mail, Stephen Elop will lead Microsoft’s expanded devices and studios team that will also include Nokia people and will report to Ballmer. Julie Larson-Green, who currently runs the division will join Elop’s team. Microsoft will let Chris Webber’s sales team intact, who will report to Kevin Turner. Eventually they will develop an integrated team for more efficiency. The global marketing team will be integrated under Tami Reller and Mark Penn. Read on for the complete mail.

Quote:

From: Steve Ballmer
To: MS FTEs
Date: Sep. 2, 8:00 PM PDT (Sep. 3, 6:00 AM EET)
Subject: Accelerating Growth

We announced some exciting news today: We have entered into an agreement to purchase Nokia’s Devices & Services business, which includes their smartphone and mobile phone businesses, their award-winning design team, manufacturing and assembly facilities around the world, and teams devoted to operations, sales, marketing and support.

For Microsoft, this is a bold step into the future and the next big phase of the transformation we announced on July 11.

We are very excited about the proposal to bring the best mobile device efforts of Microsoft and Nokia together. Our Windows Phone partnership over the past two and half years has yielded incredible work – the stunning Lumia 1020 is a great example. Our partnership has also yielded incredible growth. In fact, Nokia Windows Phones are the fastest-growing phones in the smartphone market.

Now is the time to build on this momentum and accelerate our share and profits in phones. Clearly, greater success with phones will strengthen the overall opportunity for us and our partners to deliver on our strategy to create a family of devices and services for individuals and businesses that empower people around the globe at home, at work and on the go, for the activities they value most.

We have laid out Microsoft’s strategic rationale for this transaction in a presentation that I encourage you to read.

This is a smart acquisition for Microsoft, and a good deal for both companies. We are receiving incredible talent, technology and IP. We’ve all seen the amazing work that Nokia and Microsoft have done together.

Given our long partnership with Nokia and the many key Nokia leaders that are joining Microsoft, we expect a smooth transition and great execution.

As is always the case with an acquisition, the first priority is to keep driving through close, which we expect in the first quarter of 2014, following approval by Nokia’s shareholders, regulatory approvals, and other closing conditions.

But I also know people will have some questions about what happens post-close. While details aren’t final, here is what we know, and how we’re generally approaching integration:

1. Stephen Elop will be coming back to Microsoft, and he will lead an expanded Devices team, which includes all of our current Devices and Studios work and most of the teams coming over from Nokia, reporting to me.
2. Julie Larson-Green will continue to run the Devices and Studios team, and will be focused on the big launches this fall including Xbox One and our Surface enhancements. Julie will be joining Stephen’s team once the acquisition closes, and will work with him to shape the new organization.
3. As part of the acquisition, a number of key engineering leaders will be joining Microsoft from Nokia, reporting to Stephen in his new capacity:
· Jo Harlow, who will continue to lead the Smart Devices team
· Timo Toikkanen, who will continue to lead the Mobile Phones team
· Stefan Pannenbecker, who will lead Design
· Juha Putkiranta, who will lead the integration effort on Nokia’s behalf
4. Regarding the sales team, we plan to keep the Nokia field team, led by Chris Weber, intact and as the nexus of the devices sales effort, so that we can continue to build sales momentum. After the deal closes, Chris and his team will be placed under Kevin Turner. We will develop a single integrated team that is selling to operators, and there may be other integration opportunities that we can pursue. Kevin will work with Chris Weber and Chris Capossela to make those plans.
5. Our operating system team under Terry Myerson will continue unchanged, with a mission of supporting both first-party and third-party hardware innovation. We are committed to working with partners, helping them build great products and great businesses on our platform, and we believe this deal will increase our partner value proposition over time. The established rhythms and ways of working between Terry and his team and the incoming Nokia team will serve us well to ensure that we do not disrupt our building momentum.
6. We are planning to integrate all global marketing under Tami Reller and Mark Penn. It is very important that we pursue a unified brand and advertising strategy as soon as possible.
7. Finance, Legal, HR, Communications, DX / Evangelism, Customer Care and Business Development will integrate functionally at Microsoft. Sourcing, customer logistics and supply chain will be part of Stephen’s Devices organization. ICM / IT will also integrate functionally for traditional IT roles. We will need to work through the implications for factory systems given the differing manufacturing processes and systems at both Nokia and Microsoft.
8. We plan to pursue a single set of supporting services for our devices, and we will figure out how to combine the great Nokia efforts into our Microsoft services as we go through the integration process.
9. There are no significant plans to shift where work is done in the world as we integrate, so we expect the Nokia teams to stay largely in place, geographically.
10. Tom Gibbons will lead the integration work for Microsoft.

While today’s announcement is big news, we have to stay heavily focused on running the current business. We have a huge fall and holiday season ahead of us, so we need to execute flawlessly and continue to drive our business forward. I have no doubt we will.

Steve

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

I can't wait for the next Microsoft shareholder's meeting. They're already angry enough at Balmer, as it is, and now I want to see how they react to buying up what's left of Nokia. I have to imagine that all of the best talent and most creative and successful people were already laid off or left already, probably long ago--and what's left hasn't been impressed anyone. How will shareholders feel about an already failing Microsoft buying up an even-worse failure Nokia?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danramos (Post 1371552)

Here Maps is going to Microsoft. Why would that INCREASE the chances? If anything, they're likely to start locking it down more as a Microsoft Windows 8/Phone/etc. exclusive.

The press release said that mapping was one of the things Nokia were keeping hold of. They're just letting MS use it as part of the deal.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

How much effort do you guys need in order to keep ignoring the truth: Nokia was killed by its Finnish leaders, hiring Elop was their last nail in Nokia's coffin. Don't blame Elop for doing what he was hired for.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LavaCroft (Post 1371564)

...But, but!
http://www.winrumors.com/nokias-step...crosoft-plant/

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danramos (Post 1371556)

I can't wait for the next Microsoft shareholder's meeting.

But, mmm let me see, that's the meeting between Bill & Steve & Stephie, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by danramos (Post 1371556)

They're already angry enough at Balmer, as it is, and now I want to see how they react to buying up what's left of Nokia.

Not really, or actually it does not really matter what the small fish think. The major shareholders know of this all, or to better say, they just did it like planned all along...

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

One good thing with this deal is that both Nokia Lottery and Microsoft Lottery spam emails will come as a single mail :D

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danramos (Post 1371567)

...But, but!
http://www.winrumors.com/nokias-step...crosoft-plant/

The board of directors would have denied it too. Admitting it would have been an even bigger disaster for Nokia's value as well as disqualify the board of directors. This way, Elop gets all the blame while the Board of Directors can stay out of the heat. A plus is that Elop isn't a Finn, which makes blaming him a lot easier than blaming actual Finns.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LavaCroft (Post 1371585)

Oh well. Finland is going to fade back into the virtually obscure background again like it had been before Nokia started hitting it big with cell phones--unless this Jolla crap pans out. It BETTER not turn out to be crap after all of this.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by juiceme (Post 1371573)

Not really, or actually it does not really matter what the small fish think. The major shareholders know of this all, or to better say, they just did it like planned all along...

I repeat my question: Didn't Nokia already lose most if not all of their best and brightest minds to their competitors already? How can shareholders be okay with this particular purchase?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Finally, whew. I was waiting for this moment so bad.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danramos (Post 1371598)

I repeat my question: Didn't Nokia already lose most if not all of their best and brightest minds to their competitors already? How can shareholders be okay with this particular purchase?

Well, MS needs to go to mobile, it absolutely yearns it. It has no choise.
The desktop&server business is profitable but there's no growth up there. The only business in town is the mobile business, they've realised it and haven't got it.

Now, they might well be throwing money to the fire but oh boy they have got plenty of that stuff. If there's a remonte chance that this aquisition is going to turn profit one day they are risking all to do it.

And just as I said, shareholders are just Bill & his bedboys, the rest don't have a say on it.

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

How does this affect Jolla? If I understood right Jolla uses Nokia's technologies on their permission. Now that those technologies are owned by Microsoft.... ?

Re: So... Microsoft finally purchases Nokia.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rugoz (Post 1371614)

I'm glad its over.

I need to go back and read some of the old, obnoxiously myopic arguments that sounded like marketing reads that I used to get from some of the Nokia employees every time I pointed out obvious moves toward this end. I've said something along these words all along: It doesn't make me happy to be right about this--but I can see where it [was] going. Particularly telling was all the puffery about open-source and openness while they overtly became more and more closed-source. I saw that coming years ago, sadly. I'll say this again too: I'm glad I didn't waste any MORE money than I already did back when I got the N800 and the companion navigation kit for it. Nokia didn't deserve to succeed when it didn't listen to what customers wanted either.

Sadly, it's a lot of workers who'll suffer the most for upper-management's golden parachutes and windfall PERSONAL profits while the company gets disappeared.