Earlier this week, in true Microsoft fashion, the tech giant announced (on a national holiday here in the U.S.) that it acquired Nokia.
Of course, it was an expectation that Microsoft was going to acquire Nokia at some point, and it was more than just speculation. As wireless industry analyst Jeff Kagan states, “Nokia was weakened in recent years by the sudden success of both Apple iPhone and Google Android and was languishing…Then Microsoft partnered with Nokia and they developed a new Windows Mobile operating system for mobile. This OS is in the Lumia series of Nokia phones,” he states.
While it’s true that Lumia never really received the fanfare that the iPhone and Androids have experienced, Kagan adds that despite this, Lumia is doing far better than most of its competitors. “Microsoft sees a world where the three big competitors in the wireless space are Google, Apple and Microsoft,” he said. “The wireless business is starting to sound like the hamburger business with McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's…an interesting comparison to say the least when it comes to the wireless business.
But, who are the equivalents (in the wireless world) to McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s?? Well, let’s stop there, since I’m getting a little hungry, and it’s best for me to stick to the topic at hand, and then go for a bike ride…and much better for my health, too!
All kidding aside, I will be watching how Nokia evolves following the Microsoft acquisition…stay tuned, as we will definitely be following this evolution over the next couple months!
It will be interesting to watch how Nokia changes now that it will be owned by Microsoft. Will it succeed and grow more rapidly, or will it continue to struggle with a slow growth pattern.