Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Microsoft purchases Nokia devices and services business.

Nokia recently made an announcement they are buying Nokia's mobile business which includes the devices and services part of Nokia, or around half of Nokia.

I should state that for a long time I was a long term user of Nokia products and Microsoft products. Nokia lost me when they first brought out mobiles which could connect to computers before smart phones came onto the scene. The first cable I purchased came with no instructions or disk. You were on your own. Not what I would call customer focused. Microsoft also have focused more on themselves than their customers. In fact Microsoft is about to turn their back on over 100 million customers by not providing support to Windows XP. Again not what I'd call endearing.

With Microsoft doing poorly in the consumer market with mobiles and tablets and Nokia not doing any better, it is hard to see how this will assist Microsoft to gain market share. If anything it will further turn off the original equipment manufacturers which for a long time helped Microsoft build their business.

This move shouldn't be totally unexpected. Microsoft have made it clear they are now a devices and services company and Nokia was already selling 85% of Windows based mobile phones.

Only time will tell if two relatively unsuccessful players (when compared to Apple and Google/Android) in the mobile/tablet arena when joined can make a difference or not.

As an IT consultant and developer, the marriage means tighter integration, more restrictions and less open devices. In the past Microsoft was a company providing open systems where people could more easily adapt those systems for the benefit of their business. Now we are moving (if we haven't already) into the era where you just buy a service or device and use it as is. Very little opportunity for a business to gain a market advantage through the use of technology when the devices and services are the same for everyone.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

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