The Truth About Nokia-Microsoft $7.1BN Deal
It is all in the news - Microsoft has bought Nokia's handset business and 10-year license for Nokia's patents in a $7 billion deal.
Industry analysts said that even with this bold move, Microsoft might just fail to deliver improvements on its already problematic Windows Phone.
Jessica Dolcourt from CNET said that Microsoft's Windows Phone OS lagged behind Android and iOS. She added that Nokia's aesthetic hardware design can only do little to tempt users to buy handsets with the Windows Phone OS.
"From the first bold Nokia Lumia 800 to the first metal-bearing Lumia, Nokia's handsets already made Windows Phone appealing. Now it's up to Microsoft's leaders and engineers to advance the platform itself, and to get flagship Nokia phones selling across all major carriers in mature markets like the US. Hopefully, increasing Windows Phone's software capabilities and public image will become the major mobile priority of Microsoft's next CEO, whomever he or she is. When it comes to selling software, there's only so much that buying up a hardware arm can do," wrote Dolcourt.
It seemed like that Nokia was also hesitant in its agreement to the $7 billion deal.
In a report from Reuters, Nokia spokesman Mark Durrant said that the company chose not to sell its patents fully to protect Nokia's handset business against strong competitors like Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.
"Once we no longer have our own mobile devices business, following the close of the (Microsoft) transaction, we would be able to explore licensing some of those technologies," Mr Durrant wrote in an email to Reuters.
As it appeared, the Nokia-Microsoft $7 billion deal proved to be a two-fold deal for both Nokia and Microsoft.
For Microsoft, entering into a 10-year license agreement with Nokia, rather than buying its full patent, can still allow Microsoft to continue with its existing deals with 20 Android manufacturers to pay for patent royalties.
On the other hand, Nokia can employ the same strategy of going after Android manufacturers to pay for royalties as hinted by Mr Durrant himself.
"It wouldn't surprise me at all to see litigation filed by Nokia in coming months," Mr Durant said.
Michael Peirantozzi, an intellectual property expert said that there was something behind Nokia's refusing to sell all their patents.
"For Nokia to sell the business, and not sell the patents, there must be something else cooking to recover value," Mr Peirantozzi said.
He said that Nokia might be looking into a bigger patent sell in the future than what Microsoft offered. He added that Nokia "probably just weren't getting the price they were looking for."