Microsoft Acquired Nokia Mobile Five Years Ago: Here's A Timeline

Remember the good old Nokia Lumia days? Well, information technology was on September three, 2013 that Nokia's fate was sealed and the Finnish mobile giant went on a downhill path, having lost its status in the smartphone marketplace. Nokia'south downfall began when Microsoft bought out its smartphone business for a sizeable $7.6 billion five years ago, but it's still a hot topic of debates, fifty-fifty though the brand itself has been resurrected by HMD Global.

A Rushed Acquisition?

Microsoft was eager to tackle the growing presence of Google (Android) and Apple (iOS) so information technology decided to buy its ain hardware business organization in the class of Nokia – the brand's  reputation and the treasure trove of patents were both attractive enough for the Redmond giant, equally it looked to bring complete evolution of Windows Mobile devices under its roof.

Microsoft'due south then-CEO Steve Ballmer believed that the acquisition of Nokia'south mobile assets was going to resurrect the company's mobile chances. He'd called the buyout a 'bold stride into the futurity' for both companies — a win-win for employees, shareholder, and consumers. However, we all obviously know how that concluded.

Microsoft adopted the popular Lumia brand and began distributing devices under its own brand proper noun. Yes, Nokia was already out of the picture and the Redmond giant was still finding it difficult to carve a niche in the smartphone. Information technology did have the Lumia brand, the phones it released had similar design and aesthetics, but with no other OEMs joining in, and developers dropping out, the mobile OS met its ill-fated end.

Operation Elop

Only talking nearly the end of Windows Mobile is rushing alee of ourselves. Nosotros would be remiss in not mentioning Stephen Elop at this point. Elop who was brought in from Microsoft to salvage the Finnish giant from its business doom, when things looked bleak for Nokia.

Elop's efforts were in vain equally the company, which was in one case valued at $34.2 billion only amounted to nigh one-half of its worth when Nokia's smartphone business (valued at effectually $7.vi billion) was bought by Microsoft earlier in 2013. It was all kicked off by the embarrassing 'Buring platform' memo that leaked online in 2010, giving anybody a peek into Nokia's harsh situation.

This drop in valuation and the failure of the company to bounce back, led people to call Elop a Microsoft 'Trojan Horse' who invaded the Finnish giant and drove its valuation down, and then that Microsoft could acquire it for a lower price in the future.

However, the book Operation Elop by journalists from Finnish daily paper Kauppalehti, reveals that Nokia'due south downfall was essentially fueled just by a series of bad decisions and its disability to adapt with fast-irresolute market trends — not especially Elop.

Losses Galore

Let us fast forwards 2 years to July 2015, when India-origin CEO Satya Nadella dropped the news that Microsoft had nowdecided to write off the Nokia acquisition and shelve shut to eight,000 jobs. It mostly affected Nokia'due south employees that were nonetheless working out of Finland.

Microsoft did incur billions in losses merely it was one of the many sane decisions that came from Nadella right in the first twelvemonth of him taking the helm of the company.

Nadella chose to expect at the bigger picture and focus on growing the Windows ecosystem instead of chasing only after its Lumia-branded phones, which weren't even selling that well dorsum and so. And then, it was a skillful determination for Microsoft to re-focus its efforts and launch the Surface laptop lineup downwardly the road – we're all the same waiting on the Surface Telephone though.

In the near-term, we'll run a more than effective and focused telephone portfolio while retaining adequacy for long-term reinvention in mobility.

What the Future Holds

While Nokia has a mobile visitor doesn't be, its parent visitor, Nokia Corporation, continues to exist in the mobile network infrastructure business. However, the iconic Nokia-branded phones have once again fabricated a comeback, thanks to Finnish company HMD Global.

HMD Global is non simply banking on nostalgia (perchance, a little) but has alsoadopted a tried-and-tested road (which Nokia should take opted for in the commencement place) and is edifice its portfolio with Android-powered phones.

It has already added fifteen phones to its arsenal since coming back into the market. It has helped them interruption into the tiptop ten companies in just under a yr, and information technology'southward 1 of the about exciting brands to follow these days.

What Could Have Been

Nosotros can't assist but wonder what could take been if Nokia had continued its success story under Windows Mobile, and its Asha phones. We would have loved to run across Android phones from the original Nokia – that would accept very likely had a distinct UI instead of the Android One we see these days on Nokia phones. And Nokia was one company which was non agape to endeavour on new OSes – think MeeGo?

Well, what do you think the market would have looked like if Windows Mobile had stayed popular, and Nokia found success with the popular Lumia phones? Would that have been better for the mobile ecosystem – or was it always going to be Android vs iOS? Tell the states your thoughts in the comments beneath.

Source: https://beebom.com/microsoft-nokia-five-years-timeline/

Posted by: stovermagicittake.blogspot.com

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