Nokia becomes Microsoft

Last week, Microsoft announced that it has completed its acquisition on the Nokia Devices and Services business. As part of the transaction, Microsoft will honor all existing Nokia customer warranties for existing devices.

Microsoft has announced it has completed its acquisition of the Nokia Devices and Services business. The acquisition has been approved by Nokia shareholders and by governmental regulatory agencies around the world. According to a statement released last week, the completion of the acquisition marks the first step in bringing these two organizations together as one team.

Today we welcome the Nokia Devices and Services business to our family. The mobile capabilities and assets they bring will advance our transformation,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. “Together with our partners, we remain focused on delivering innovation more rapidly in our mobile-first, cloud-first world.

Reporting to Nadella is former Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop who will serve as executive vice president of the Microsoft Devices Group, overseeing an expanded devices business that includes Lumia smartphones and tablets, Nokia mobile phones, Xbox hardware, Surface, Perceptive Pixel (PPI) products and accessories. Microsoft welcomes personnel with deep industry experience in more than 130 sites across 50 countries worldwide, including several factories that design, develop, manufacture, market and sell a broad portfolio of innovative smart devices, mobile phones and services. As part of the transaction, Microsoft will honor all existing Nokia customer warranties for existing devices.

In the fourth quarter of 2013, according to IDC, Windows Phone reinforced its position as a top three smartphone operating system and was the fastest-growing platform among the leading operating systems with 91 percent year-over-year gain.Furthermore, with the Nokia mobile phone business, Microsoft will target the affordable mobile devices market, a $50 billion annual opportunity,delivering the first mobile experience to the next billion people while introducing Microsoft services to new customers around the world.

In South Africa, strong momentum behind Nokia’s portfolio of Windows Phones has seen Lumia outsell the iPhone, and the Nokia Lumia 520 is now the top-selling device in its price category. Overall, three of the top five selling mobile devices in South Africa are Nokia phones.

“Microsoft will continue to deliver new value and opportunity, and it will work closely with a range of hardware partners, developers, operators, distributors and retailers, providing platforms, tools, applications and services that enable them to make exceptional devices,” the statement read. “With a deeper understanding of hardware and software working as one, the company will strengthen and grow demand for Windows devices overall.

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