Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0 • Hacker News Board

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#121

Post by mortenjorck » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:28 PM UTC

davidw wrote: post #12

pietrofmaggi wrote: post #6

The main problem of the late Nokia is the (lack of) speed in innovation. If they jump on the Android boat they'll have to fight against Samsung, Motorola, HTC, LG, etc.. Look at the current performance of Sony-Ericsson. On the Windows Phone 7 boat they are the big fish, and they can try to deliver some good products without to much competition (in the WP7 environment).

Microsoft does not want a platform dominated by one hardware manufacturer. Their interest is for Nokia to be the Compaq of phones, or something along those lines. There's no way that Nokia can really own the platform so that the same stuff that runs on their phones won't run on other phones in the future. Microsoft owns it, period. With Android, being open source, they would have had a bit more leverage.

There is one non-disastrous way for this to work out. Nokia becomes the Dell of smartphones.

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#122

Post by vijaydev » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:32 PM UTC

btilly wrote: post #84

maxklein wrote: post #34

When I read such articles, that's when you realise that people are resistant to change. It's like those people still using Windows XP because it's the best. Tech is in constant change, but at some point, some people just give up and decide not to join in anymore: not to make facebook accounts, not to join twitter, not to upgrade their OS, not to switch browser. That's what this post is: someone refusing to face the c…

That's what this post is: someone refusing to face the changing landscape of tech. You clearly don't know http://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=jacquesm very well. He is not at all resistant to change. To the contrary he understands tech better that most of us can ever dream of. Microsoft has been trying to figure out how to create a decent phone, and has been failing. There is no reason to believe that Microsoft's tea…

Wish jacquesm is here to contribute to this discussion (and defend his article). Having said that, the article cannot be evaluated to be good (or bad) just based on his reputation and I'm sure even he would agree.

By the way, did you see http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2206189 :)

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#123

Post by sfphotoarts » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:41 PM UTC

andrewljohnson wrote: post #120

I dislike when essays swear at me, particularly long ones. If you want me to take what I am reading seriously, I expect you to choose your words carefully, and using the word "shit" doesn't smack of careful word choice. I kind of swear like a sailor when I talk sometimes, but not when I write.

you just did.

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#124

Post by teyc » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:44 PM UTC

There are two key drivers here:

1) Smartphones will replace feature phones

2) Nokia still leads in feature phones in terms of ruggedness and reliability

If my wife is replacing her current Nokia, she'd certainly weigh towards Nokia. But she'd want something a little more current, as long as it is just as reliable.

As nice touch phones are, the form factor required for finger interaction means it is not as convenient as a smaller phone. Symbian will continue to have a life for a very long time.

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#125

Post by ldng » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:45 PM UTC

kjhghjkjh wrote: post #101

ldng wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you elaborate on that please ? Personally I fail to see in what this choice is better, maybe I missed something.

With Wp7 they are the preferred Wp7 platform. So every business that must buy Microsoft - because it's Microsoft - will now buy Nokia phones. With Android they would be competing to differentiate themselves from high end Korean makers and a bunch of cheap chinese makers - based on what?

Ok, maybe. That bring then the question why nobody wants WP7. Maybe one possible explanation can be find here : http://www.asymco.com/2011/02/11/in-memoriam-microsofts-prev...

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#126

Post by dingle_thunk » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:52 PM UTC

absconditus wrote: post #98

neutronicus wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's the same at all. All I use on my Android phone is e-mail, maps, the browser, and general phone stuff - honestly, I would trade the entire app store for a little more reliability and a better touch screen.

The fact that you and some others do not care about apps is irrelevant. Apps are clearly important to a large portion of the market.

Apps are clearly not important to another large portion of the market.

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#127

Post by ldng » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:54 PM UTC

kyberneticka wrote: post #119

ldng wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you elaborate on that please ? Personally I fail to see in what this choice is better, maybe I missed something.

With Android, as others have pointed out, Nokia would have faced immense competition from HTC, Samsung, and others who are established in the marketplace. With WP7, they at least have an opportunity to come in at the ground floor. Also, given the relationship between Elop and MS, there can be some shared resources to make Nokia the flagship for WP7. With Android, they would have been just another manufacturer.

I would answer that implementing this strategy can't be a short term plan. This will take time to put in place meanwhile a lot of executives can change. Is it wise to rely on a relationship between one executive and another company as a long term strategy ?

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#128

Post by dingle_thunk » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 7:54 PM UTC

bad_user wrote: post #58

neutronicus wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's the same at all. All I use on my Android phone is e-mail, maps, the browser, and general phone stuff - honestly, I would trade the entire app store for a little more reliability and a better touch screen.

That's why I bought an iPhone; even though I'll never buy a Macbook or other Apple products. Being able to sync contacts / calendar back and forth to my Google Apps account is priceless.

The Windows Phone does this. It also integrates those contacts with the status updates, contact details and pictures from your Facebook, Hotmail, YMail & Exchange accounts

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#129

Post by sahaj » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 8:10 PM UTC

kjhghjkjh wrote: post #101

ldng wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you elaborate on that please ? Personally I fail to see in what this choice is better, maybe I missed something.

With Wp7 they are the preferred Wp7 platform. So every business that must buy Microsoft - because it's Microsoft - will now buy Nokia phones. With Android they would be competing to differentiate themselves from high end Korean makers and a bunch of cheap chinese makers - based on what?

so microsoft just abandoned their initial WP7 launch partners?

Re: Microsoft just bought Nokia for $0

#130

Post by zmmmmm » Fri, Feb 11, 2011, 9:37 PM UTC

saturdaysaint wrote: post #47

arethuza wrote: post #2

I think the "the same happen without any risk to MS" is an excellent point - the downside for Microsoft is limited and the upside is pretty good. For Nokia the upside is limited (at best you are yet-another Windows Mobile 7 handset manufacturer - it's not like they have an exclusive) and the downside is huge.

"The downside is huge." Compared to what? I don't think the downside is greater than the downside of maintaining their own incredibly expensive and increasingly obsolete platform(s). This gives them their only hope of delivering a stable smartphones with a modern UI in the first half of this year (bonus: without spending tens-of-thousands of developer hours). I consider that "upside".

Compared to what?

Compared to joining an ecosystem that has already succeeded (Android). The downside if WP7 turns out to peak at 5% of the market - which is entirely possible at this juncture - is that Nokia will suffer a horrific drop in profits and probably go out of business. They now need WP7 to reach 30 - 50% of the market simply to consider this strategy a success. It's incredibly risky to take a bet like that.