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Official: Microsoft To Acquire Nokia Devices and Services Business
Many submitted, and symbolset emailed me to wake up, sending this bit of interesting news out of Redmond: "Microsoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation today announced that the Boards of Directors for both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, license Nokia's patents, and license and use Nokia's mapping services. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia's patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions."
And, yep, Elop is part of the deal (quoting Ballmer): "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."
Shoe! The other shoe drops. Yeesh.
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
So Elop left Microsoft to head up Nokia, where he made supposedly very idiotic changes that had the effect of destroying Nokia's share price. Microsoft then buys Nokia at a fraction of the cost it would otherwise have been, and Elop returns to a prestigious role at Microsoft, where he's in with a shot at the CEO role.
If Elop becomes CEO at Microsoft, it will essentially prove the company still has absolutely no idea how to move forward in today's technological world.
And I'm perfectly okay with that.
#DeleteChrome
You break it you buy it.
So apart from the vision, agility, quality, execution, origination of new ideas, brand recognition, marketable "face", and retail presence, they are the new Apple.
Gotcha.
You break it, you buy it...
I have a suspicion about what happens to Windows Phone sales, everywhere except the US maybe.
Of course, you're aware of MS Phone's strong growth in all markets, right?
I don't respond to AC's.
Now the next step is to return to Maemo to raise the share price back.
Indeed. The quip about "two turkeys not making an eagle" is applicable here.
"Be nice, veer left, and never stop thinking" Iain Banks - Walking On Glass
He's giving me this much to recommend Elop?
Any alternate headlines? Here are some:
"Headless software company buys brainless phone company"
"Rumours of Dinosaur extinction greatly exaggerated (And their mating habits haven't changed)"
I'm sure there's more ...
Oh, right: it's a Ballmerism.
So Elop left Microsoft to head up Nokia, where he made supposedly very idiotic changes that had the effect of destroying Nokia's share price. Microsoft then buys Nokia at a fraction of the cost it would otherwise have been, and Elop returns to a prestigious role at Microsoft, where he's in with a shot at the CEO role.
That doesn't look the slightest bit dodgy at all.
EMBRACE EXTEND EXTINGUISH.
Well in this case it looks more like: INFILTRATE - WEAKEN - ASSIMILATE
I am not really here right now.
As god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!
I think that needs just a little more cowbell:
Windows 8 Phone Select Series for Handsets Executive Platinum Professional Touch Diamond Edition 2013
There. Done. Ship it.
--frank[at]unternet.org
That's one way to look at it.
The other way to think about it is that the rest of Nokia just unloaded a boat anchor of a mobile phone business and a horrific CEO onto Microsoft, with the added bonus of him possibly becoming CEO of that combined corporation.
Or, if you prefer, "beware of Finns bearing gifts".
Log in or piss off.