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Nokia acquired by Microsoft

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Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#241

Post by Ecio78 »

frank_boyd wrote: post #225
barista wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google does the same and their phones seems to be selling quite well.

Exactly. And Apple too. But we have 2 alternatives now (and they are even open-source!): 1. Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/phone 2. FirefoxOS: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/os/ So why does it look like everyone's already back to "whatever!"-mode as far as your right to privacy is concerned?

Out of curiosity, what are you using as your main phone? The not-yet-existing Ubuntu one, one of the two just-released-still-very-beta-and-low-spec FFOS devices, a closed source Blackberry/feature/dumb phone, or one of the three big names (MS/Apple/Google) you're criticizing?

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#242

Post by marcamillion »

molmalo wrote: post #163
corresation wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft's own press release makes clear that they are not buying any patents. They are buying a 10-year license to Nokia's patents. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/Sep13/09-02An... This is almost certainly to lubricate regulatory approval, and because it unleashes a Nokia patent monster upon the lands.

You seem to be right. Here's an article [1] with details about the transaction. The main points of the deal are: - Microsoft pays € 5.44 Billions for all of its Devices & Services business, including the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as an industry-leading design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activ…

This particular deal point is interesting to me:

Microsoft will also immediately make available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing in the form of three EUR 500 million tranches of convertible notes that Microsoft would fund from overseas resources. If Nokia decides to draw down on this financing option, Nokia would pay back these notes to Microsoft from the proceeds of the deal upon closing. The financing is not conditional on the transaction closing.

Sounds like Nokia may be running into a cash crunch? They specify that the financing is not dependent on the transaction closing - so it seems as if Nokia needs the money either way, and if the transaction closes they will repay MSFT.

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#243

Post by girvo »

macspoofing wrote: post #214
hippee-lee wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this a question or a statement? Modern battle and war have very little in common with business. So, it is my opinion that the use is such terms waters down an otherwise reasonable well thought out comment.

Statement. >the use of such terms waters down an otherwise reasonable well thought out comment. This may not be a battle you're going to win.

> This may not be a battle you're going to win.

I think the war on this phrase has already been lost to be honest.

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#244

Post by philwelch »

cageface wrote: post #233
macspoofing wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Your comparison is no different than comparing Windows Server vs Linux servers. I think a better comparison is Mac vs. Windows. Windows won, but Macs are still thriving, and Apple is making nice margins. This is how I see iOS vs. Android playing out.

Perhaps, but the difference here is that Macs are still better machines in most respects. Macs endure as a niche product because they're higher quality products. Premium Android phones, on the other hand, provide a user experience that a lot of people consider superior.

Some people prefer Windows to Mac OS, too, so I really don't see your point.

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#246

Post by mrtksn »

Joeri wrote: post #237
corresation wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no money in being an Android vendor except if you're Samsung and are totally vertically integrated. There are a lot of people who would have picked up the attractive, well built, well engineered Nokia devices if they had the platform of Android. The core problem with the "no money in Android" argument is that you can't choose not to compete with Android if you're in the smartphone game, which is pretty obvio…

WP8 suffers more from a perception problem than anything else. I just switched from android to wp8 and the way i see it i got the smooth interaction and ease of use of iOS at the price point of android. The US market is a special beast because the subsidies erase most of the price difference, but in markets where people buy unlocked I think WP8 can take a lot of market share away from android by virtue of its better…

>The Nokia devices ship with so much out of the box functionality that most people probably won't even install any

if this is true, WP8 is just a feature phone with lots of features. if people are not installing apps then the developers wont build apps.

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#247

Post by grey-area »

corresation wrote: post #84
rayiner wrote: post #38

This is a great move. There is no money in being an Android vendor except if you're Samsung and are totally vertically integrated. With Windows Phone, Nokia and Microsoft at least have some hope of carving out a profitable stake in the market. Anecdotally, I'm very impressed with some of the new Lumias. I got a 620 to replace my stolen iPhone, and for $200 unlocked its phenomenal phone. The build quality makes a flag…

There is no money in being an Android vendor except if you're Samsung and are totally vertically integrated. There are a lot of people who would have picked up the attractive, well built, well engineered Nokia devices if they had the platform of Android. The core problem with the "no money in Android" argument is that you can't choose not to compete with Android if you're in the smartphone game, which is pretty obvio…

about a company that went from hero to zero largely at the hands of Android (RIM being another example).

I think iOS had a lot more to do with Nokia's decline than Android. iOS came first and dominated the high end of mobile phones for years, displacing Nokia in that niche, and then Android also undermined them, but it was hardly all down to Android. Nokia used to sell a lot of high end phones, which they made money on, as well as dominating the low-end.

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#248

Post by leaffig »

shmerl wrote: post #101
corresation wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some reports are incorrectly stating that Microsoft is buying the patents, while Microsoft's own press release clearly states that they are only licensing them for a term of 10 years. This is almost certainly to satisfy regulators who will have final say over whether this transaction will close.

Somehow I expect that MS will still have a strong say in how those patents are going to be used. This already happened with attack on VP8 even without any acquisition. MS hand behind it was not even very hidden. It will only get worse now.

>This already happened with attack on VP8 even without any acquisition. MS hand behind it was not even very hidden.

Nokia was really starving for money and wanted to monetize their patents, and saw VP8 as a threat. Instead of waiting for it to be popular and then pounce, they pre-emptively requested Google(which is rolling in dough) to license their patents. They did spend a lot on R&D in their heyday, they're not a garden variety patent troll. If a CEO didn't try to get their patents licensed while hurting badly for money, they would be called out for it.

I fail to see any MS hand in this, hidden or not. Do you have any references to back that up?

Re: Nokia acquired by Microsoft

#249

Post by RyJones »

marcamillion wrote: post #242
molmalo wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You seem to be right. Here's an article [1] with details about the transaction. The main points of the deal are: - Microsoft pays € 5.44 Billions for all of its Devices & Services business, including the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as an industry-leading design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activ…

This particular deal point is interesting to me: Microsoft will also immediately make available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing in the form of three EUR 500 million tranches of convertible notes that Microsoft would fund from overseas resources. If Nokia decides to draw down on this financing option, Nokia would pay back these notes to Microsoft from the proceeds of the deal upon closing. The financing is not c…

Cheaper to buy them with money stuck overseas than repatriate and pay taxes on it.
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