I never thought I would write those words, but there it is. Just a few years ago, Nokia was lapping its competitors. Now it’s exiting. How evanescent is market leadership in ICTs?
Beleaguered Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia will sell its mobile phone unit to US group Microsoft for 5.44 billion euros ($7.17 billion), it said on Tuesday.
Nokia will grant Microsoft a 10-year non-exclusive licence to its patents and will itself focus on network infrastructure and services, which it called “the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders.”
The company also announced the immediate departure of chief executive Stephen Elop. He will be replaced in the interim by Risto Siilasmaa, Nokia’s chairman of the board.
And what will Microsoft do? Find the synergies between handset manufacturing and Skype?
2 Comments
Nandasiri Wanninayaka
Did Microsoft (or users) benefit from Microsoft’s takeover of Skype? Was there any innovative technology that MS introduced to Skype?
Rohan Samarajiva
Not a bad question to ask (I think Skype’s quality has gone down in recent years, possibly because too many people using it, possibly because Microsoft has not invested enough in it), but corporate mergers and acquisitions do not occur because the parties want to benefit users. It is because it’s a good deal in the circumstances. The seller is stanching losses (e.g., Nokia) and thinks this is the right time to sell. Andreessen made a bundle on Skype’s sale, by buying at the right time (when the entire sector was in a funk) and selling also at the right time.
LIRNEasia is hiring: Senior Researcher
LIRNEasia is currently looking to fill the role of a Senior Researcher. The full job description is available here.
Exploring digital platforms for development: Opportunities and policy options to boost take-up and mitigate risks
LIRNEasia conducted a study on digital platform use across six countries in South and Southeast Asia. The working paper provides insights on popular platform types, drivers of and barriers to adoption, and the impact of COVID-19.
Reimagining Sri Lanka’s social safety nets
In our blogpost with Citra Labs, we explore the role digital and data can play in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of social safety nets (social assistance) in Sri Lanka.
Links
User Login
Themes
Social
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
Contact
15 1/2, Balcombe Place, Colombo 08
Sri Lanka
+94 (0)11 267 1160
+94 (0)11 267 5212
info [at] lirneasia [dot] net
Copyright © 2023 LIRNEasia
a regional ICT policy and regulation think tank active across the Asia Pacific