Mourning the death of Nokia

[gtbarry]

I think my first three phones were all iterations of the same Motorola handset. After that, about a dozen years of more than twenty Nokia phones. Now, we say goodbye to Nokia as we know it.

Microsoft has purchased Nokia's Devices and Services unit, it announced today. It unites Windows Phone 8 with its biggest hardware supporter, and gives the company an integrated solution across hardware and software. When the deal closes in the first quarter of 2014, Microsoft will pay 3.79 billion Euros for Nokia's business, plus another 1.65 billion Euros for its portfolio of patents.

Microsoft buys Nokia's mobile unit, unites Windows Phone 8 and its hardware maker | The Verge

 

[saptech]

We saw this coming, it was just a matter of time. Maybe Nokia should have jumped on the Android bandwagon during the early stages!

 

[dan330]

microsoft is using an expensive big sledge hammer to make their phone win a market share. they got the resources.. and it is very important for them to get cut out a sizeable market share. the furture of microsoft depends on it.

 

[kate]

Haven't used a Nokia for awhile, but they had some good ones.

 

[davoid]

We saw this coming, it was just a matter of time. Maybe Nokia should have jumped on the Android bandwagon during the early stages!

I would've considered buying an Android Nokia, but no way a Windows phone.

 

[Hadron]

I would've considered buying an Android Nokia, but no way a Windows phone.

I've played with a 920 - it was very fluid, quite intuitive, but maybe too oriented to services which don't interest me (though maybe someone new to android seeing piles of pre-loaded Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/Picasa might feel the same?). But I prefer the modding & customisation of Android.

Wonder how other Windows Phone manufacturers feel?

 

[Slug]

Wonder how other Windows Phone manufacturers feel?

I reckon the whole industry will be looking over their shoulders next year.

Microsoft will pay 3.79 billion Euros for Nokia's business, plus another 1.65 billion Euros for its portfolio of patents.

I suspect that's what has really driven the deal.

 

[SiempreTuna]

Before my switch to Android, I'd been with Nokia for years - even getting involved in consumer testing some phones for them - so I'm sadden, but also angered by their demise.

In my view, Elop was a total disaster and should carry a substantial chunk of the blame for killing the company. Instead, there's talk he'll get Bulmer's job - as if Microsoft weren't in enough trouble

Personally, I believe that if, instead of recruiting Elop in 2010, Nokia has started producing 'droids they would - even starting as late as that - most likely be where Samsung are now. They built superb hardware that was always let down by terrible operating systems. Nokia droids would have killed.

What's really irritating, though is the Nokia board. They strugged to accept that their market had fundamentally changed. They then took an absurd amount of time to realise that their basic problem was a failed operating system - and to be fair, Elop helped them do that. Both serious failings, but the biggest failing by far was switching from a failed OS to a different, less mature, but also failing OS

I mean: WTF :shot:

 

[dan330]

how easy is the new nokia windows phone to mod?? is there a development potetinial .. just waiting to explode???

 

[SiempreTuna]

Errr .. no. The number of Windows phones being sold, at best it would be a barely audible pop

 

[sfbloodbrother]

Hey, this is a good buy for Microsoft. For Nokia, sure they won't sell as much as Samsung or HTC (though 2 most profitable android OEM still FAR behind Samsung) they have Windows, and who knows, maybe Windows phone will implement features better than Android someday. We can't say this is the end, when its really just beginning.

 

[dan330]

i think the mobile phone market needs 3 or 4 major players... to be healthy and innovative.. and to keep the price reasonable.

Google, apple.. and windows.

 

[Hadron]

We can't say this is the end, when its really just beginning.

For Nokia as a phone brand it's probably the beginning of the end. MS have licensed the use of the Nokia brand for 10 years (they've only bought Nokia's handset business, not all of Nokia). Hard to see that far ahead, but I'd guess that MS will probably want to move to their own branding at some point.

As for what will happen, who knows. MS may dream that vertical integration will make them like Apple, but remember that BlackBerry follow that model too. They may manage to produce a phone company that innovates faster and executes more smoothly, or a clumsy absorption into the huge bureaucracy of Microsoft may destroy Nokia's ability to produce anything. Time will tell.

One thing though: based on the last few years, if Elop gets Ballmer's job that will not bode well for MS.

 

[acesn8s]

It's an interesting development. I think with some slick marketing, an MS phone can compete. Having a phone that integrates with an computer, running Windows, better than an iPhone or Android device could have great appeal.

 

[Wilkas]

whether it's Nokia or Microsofts name on the phone it doesn't change the fact that WP is limited at best, it might scoop up a few blackberry users but I don't think Android or Apple has anything to worry about. Recently had a play around on an HTC 8X and it's still as bad as the lumia 900 my missus had. It'll be the patents and maps that MS are really interested in.

 

[mrex]

If Nokia comes back to mobile business in 2016, one possible company is Jolla to be bought by Nokia (if they can afford).

Unfortunately Nokia is selling its golden egg away almost for free. They should have tried also Android phone. Well, eFlop came and did what he was supposed to do, played all the time for Microsoft to get Nokia for a cheap prize. During eFlop-time, Nokia ended all its own stores (only one is in Helsinki), developers were fired, other units were closed, Android was on the blacklist although Android was selling good. Nokia has technique, developers, manufacturers and market access/contact all over the world. And a good brand to sell phones - only the Nokia name on Android phone would sell well - Nokia has all the key element to make perfect Android phone. And what happened? Even Meego was shutted down, Android was big no-no and they jumped into MS: Windowsphone didn't have any ecosystem at all. And in the same time Android was raising. Even on this year when Samsung sold as hell, Nokia still played with WP - "we are not going to make an android phone!" Then suddenly Nokia announced "We are making a rt tablet." What!? Was this an announce to make Nokia looks ridiculous in the market and keep the stock prize low for MS to buy it cheap?

Stock owners paid the prize and now MS is collecting all the fruits. eFlop goes back to MS.

If eFlop wasn't a trojan horse, then he must be a real dumbass.

 

[Hadron]

If eFlop wasn't a trojan horse, then he must be a real dumbass.

I've pondered this one. Yes, the result of Elop's strategy has been that MS get Nokia's phone business for about 3% of what they were valued at at their peak. So it's a win for MS? Yes, except that they are only in this position because MS have failed so far to gain traction with WP. So surely WP running at 15% of global smartphone sales, rather than 3%, would have been a better result for MS, but in that case Nokia would not have been a cheap buy. So does the Trojan theory rely on MS's big picture strategy failing? Or lagging until it brings Nokia down then magically turning around? A very high risk strategy then.

I can believe that an eventual merger was on his mind from the start. But getting into this situation cannot have been the plan. You can't blame it all on Elop - MS's inability to meet release schedules has to take part of the rap (though Elop's undermining their existing product lines before they had anything to replace them with was bloody stupid).

 

[sfbloodbrother]

For Nokia as a phone brand it's probably the beginning of the end. MS have licensed the use of the Nokia brand for 10 years (they've only bought Nokia's handset business, not all of Nokia). Hard to see that far ahead, but I'd guess that MS will probably want to move to their own branding at some point.

As for what will happen, who knows. MS may dream that vertical integration will make them like Apple, but remember that BlackBerry follow that model too. They may manage to produce a phone company that innovates faster and executes more smoothly, or a clumsy absorption into the huge bureaucracy of Microsoft may destroy Nokia's ability to produce anything. Time will tell.

One thing though: based on the last few years, if Elop gets Ballmer's job that will not bode well for MS.

Good point, we don't know who is taking the spot of Ballmer. Still, if MS can do some good things with their Nokia brand phones, this is good for them. Either way, this is going to be good for MS. Maybe not so much Nokia, but for MS.

 

[Member243850]

If there is one thing I will say about WP 7 is I found that OS freaking - and I mean not little bit - I mean Windows Phone (NOT 6.x and below!! Oh HELL not those behemoths of turd! Worse Mobile OS's EVER.) is that I found phone 7.x to be not just "slightly stable" when I had a go at one or 2 I couldn't believe how stable they were - and are.

I don't like MicroPork that much.

But they have extremely good experience with the 32 bit market of building OS's... I cannot deny how freaking stable Windows Phone OS 7 was for me.

Low hardware and also brilliant speed - reliability.

I did not get such stable environment out of my old iphone 3GS....

Good lord that Omnia 7 was bullet proof.

Never crashed.

Not once.

What I couldn't ******* stand though was the SAME BEHAVIOUR AS APPLE WITH THE DAMN ******* SDK.........

GOOOOOOD LORD.

NO GO FOR LINUX.

Mother *******!!

I hate that closed and "buy a pc / mac or no SDK for you! Sucks to be you loser! "

I can't handle it.

Such a shame.

Because the OS is a serious marvel.

It never ever crashed and I am a super bastard and I just seriously abuse my devices sometimes trying to find bugs and trying to make it crash - I just could not do it on WP 7.

Could. Just. Not. Make. It. Crash.

Wow.

Stable, fast and reliable.

Just can't handle the damn closed bull shit and no sdk for Linux.

Anger......

I hate MicroPork but I will any day say that Windows Phone 7 is a brilliant and marvel of an OS when I see it.

Great OS.

Very very very stable.

Out of all the Android devices I have owned - every single one has given some kind of crash or some type of error.

Never happened with WP 7 to me ever.

I just coudln't handle the freaking closed bull dust.

I don't like it.

Sorry.

It is a shame though because it is an awesome OS hands down.

 

[sfbloodbrother]

If there is one thing I will say about WP 7 is I found that OS freaking - and I mean not little bit - I mean Windows Phone (NOT 6.x and below!! Oh HELL not those behemoths of turd! Worse Mobile OS's EVER.) is that I found phone 7.x to be not just "slightly stable" when I had a go at one or 2 I couldn't believe how stable they were - and are.

I don't like MicroPork that much.

But they have extremely good experience with the 32 bit market of building OS's... I cannot deny how freaking stable Windows Phone OS 7 was for me.

Low hardware and also brilliant speed - reliability.

I did not get such stable environment out of my old iphone 3GS....

Good lord that Omnia 7 was bullet proof.

Never crashed.

Not once.

What I couldn't ******* stand though was the SAME BEHAVIOUR AS APPLE WITH THE DAMN ******* SDK.........

GOOOOOOD LORD.

NO GO FOR LINUX.

Mother *******!!

I hate that closed and "buy a pc / mac or no SDK for you! Sucks to be you loser! "

I can't handle it.

Such a shame.

Because the OS is a serious marvel.

It never ever crashed and I am a super bastard and I just seriously abuse my devices sometimes trying to find bugs and trying to make it crash - I just could not do it on WP 7.

Could. Just. Not. Make. It. Crash.

Wow.

Stable, fast and reliable.

Just can't handle the damn closed bull shit and no sdk for Linux.

Anger......

I hate MicroPork but I will any day say that Windows Phone 7 is a brilliant and marvel of an OS when I see it.

Great OS.

Very very very stable.

Out of all the Android devices I have owned - every single one has given some kind of crash or some type of error.

Never happened with WP 7 to me ever.

I just coudln't handle the freaking closed bull dust.

I don't like it.

Sorry.

It is a shame though because it is an awesome OS hands down.

I would agree. WP is great. I knew this guy from High School (Geese that makes me sound old) he had a WP 7, and said it was the best phone ever. He has used iOS and Android, but neither of them were as stable as WP. The only negative thing he said about it was the lack of apps, which are not coming as fast as he would like.
All of my Android devices listed under my name have at some point stalled, or crashed to the point where I needed to force a restart to them. I do wish that at some point that this would not be necessary.

 

[rabidhunter]

I would have loved to seen a Nokia Android for sure. I mean, good God a 41 Megapixel camera running on Android. How sweet would that be? Imagine all the cool shots you could get, then apply gritty filter and post to Instagram.

 

[BigCiX]

Window phones are really nice. The interface is nice and straight to the point. If they ever give you the ability to put screensavers and customization features then they will sell a little more.

 

[nickdalzell]

Windows Phone has a locked down OS, it looks like a child's plaything, it is not capable of running true Windows apps (think RT), and overall, their app store is about as barren as BlackBerry World. all Nokia can highlight as a 'feature' is a camera. are people buying Lumias looking for a smartphone or a camera? the camera is probably the least used feature on my devices. i mean when Daisy Deer was alive i probably used it occasionally but often i preferred an actual camera for pictures.

If i had to leave Android for a locked down OS, i'd probably use iOS before i'd ever touch WP8 or BlackBerry 10.

 

[Thatdad]

That's a shame. :/

 

[sfbloodbrother]

Windows Phone has a locked down OS, it looks like a child's plaything, it is not capable of running true Windows apps (think RT), and overall, their app store is about as barren as BlackBerry World. all Nokia can highlight as a 'feature' is a camera. are people buying Lumias looking for a smartphone or a camera? the camera is probably the least used feature on my devices. i mean when Daisy Deer was alive i probably used it occasionally but often i preferred an actual camera for pictures.

If i had to leave Android for a locked down OS, i'd probably use iOS before i'd ever touch WP8 or BlackBerry 10.

Valid points.

But I do doubt that most people don't care if the OS is locked down, or not.