Ok, I've been watching this whole drama unfold, and I can't help but think that there's a grand scheme of things that are happening, which will eventually lead to the assimilation of Nokia into Microsoft.

How about this:

- the n900+Maemo5 comes out, with great potential, and grandiose plans for Maemo6
- Microsoft convinces Intel to somehow jump on this bandwagon, and try to slow down the development, thus MeeGo is born
- the slowdown is successful, the company seems to be in trouble, and that is often solved by a CEO change, and the board eventually decide just that
- this is MS's biggest chance, they convince the board to hire Elop as the CEO
- Elop is of course still on MS payroll, and quickly kills off MeeGo and the technologies around it

If this theory has some truth, then MeeGo was only a distraction, sort of a trojan horse, along with Elop in the second round. When he was hired, the plan was complete.

The next step should be an offer from Microsoft to buy Nokia. And looking at some numbers Nokia's market cap is currently around $35B, while Microsoft's cash reserves are thought to be around $40B, meaning they could make an offer right away.

My guess is that today's announcement is made to disrupt the market, and make everyone angry with Nokia - the shares have already fallen 13+%, Microsoft will probably wait a bit more, so that it falls even lower, and then they will make a generous offer, maybe as soon as this year, maybe next year, but it wouldn't be surprising to see it happen.

That's all. I had to get this out of my system. Any thoughts from the community?

The problem is you have to think that Maemo was headed to greatness under the leadership of Nokia and that Microsoft actually saw this as a threat.

Both those are unlikely assumptions.
David

Microsoft got Nokia for free. No need to buy it, nor is there any need for conspiracies. It's just stupidity.

No, you got that wrong. They didn't see it as a thread, in fact, they probably thought it's weak enough to water it down, to slow down Nokia even more, to lose their value so they become a great prey for a buyout.

i agree with this..it seems like MS will buyout Nokia in the months to come...

So- someone tell me when to sell all my kids clothes so I can buy some nokia shares before it all happens hehe

One sign if you're fanboyish:
- You consistently overvalue your favored brand/gadget. You think everyone else wants it/values it as much as you do.

Elop sold Nokia, OVI Maps, OVI Store and Symbian to Microsoft for $0.

No need for Microsoft to buy it.

I can tell you that Elop is not a very popular guy in Finland right now. 10000 people will lose their jobs.

I'm not a fanboy by far. Microsoft needs something like Nokia to succeed in the mobile business. Just remember their epic failures Kin 1 & 2. They can't afford WinMo7 to sink, so they need a great manufacturer.

Buying them is just an inevitable consequense to "make things simpler" between the two companies.

That's the only good thing about todays annoucement. Way too many people with gifts and education have been misused by Nokia inept management.

There's going to be small and short term negative effect, but long term the economy will be much better off, once all those people will start doing something constructive in properly managed businesess and organizations.