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[Gemüsepizza]

Hm, interesting, so this does seem to primarily affect their hardware business. I wonder what their future strategy will be. I'm not sure if they will focus only on bringing their apps to other devices. It would not surprise me if they will have additional attempts with a phone OS:

- They could try to emulate their desktop business by providing a version of Windows 10 Mobile which you can install by yourself on a number of Android devices (maybe not on all, but on the most popular devices). Could be worth a try, there are nearly 2 billion Android devices. If they promise a pure experience without bloatware and fast updates, they might convince enough users.

- Another idea could be to create their own version of Android with full compatibility. It worked for them before with DOS I think.

Of course Google will try to prevent this, but they are already under antitrust investigation, and Microsoft could exploit this.

 

[OriginalThinking]

Too bad. As far as the OS goes, out of the box Windows mobile OS is far superior to Android. It may not have the app/game support, but I far prefer using a Lumia over Android phones. I prefer the layout & continuous scrolling to flipping pages, a lot of small simple stuff just are there that are missing from Android or used in a more cumbersome way and altogether I like the somewhat simpler approach/look in comparison to the way Android does it. It's a phone, I don't need it to be a mini-PC. As far as apps go, it has less to choose from, but all-in-all I feel I didn't miss anything much other than games. I got my sports tracker, bank app, news app, music app, a really good camera & its basic app, weather app, whatsapp/messenger/skype and a few more specific apps that I use a lot. There are some that are missing or don't have all that good alternatives, but most of those are on the level of "nice to have but don't use them regularly and can live without them"

Is it superior to Android? Maybe it's smoother, but objectively it offers far less flexibility than the Android OS. Simpler? Android is only as complicated as you choose to make it. I'd suggest for real simplicity go for a feature phone. I enjoy the look and design of the windows phone OS but beyond that I don't really see the advantages over Android.

 

[gcubed]

Hm, interesting, so this does seem to primarily affect their hardware business. I wonder what their future strategy will be. I'm not sure if they will focus only on bringing their apps to other devices. It would not surprise me if they will have additional attempts with a phone OS:

- They could try to emulate their desktop business by providing a version of Windows 10 Mobile which you can install by yourself on a number of Android devices (maybe not on all, but on the most popular devices). Could be worth a try, there are nearly 2 billion Android devices. If they promise a pure experience without bloatware and fast updates, they might convince enough users.

- Another idea could be to create their own version of Android with full compatibility. It worked for them before with DOS I think.

Of course Google will try to prevent this, but they are already under antitrust investigation, and Microsoft could exploit this.

That would add, a few thousand users around the world? Not with the effort. A user would have to unlock the bootloader in order to install a new OS... generally either voiding the warranty or making a replacement so difficult that it's basically voided anyway.

And this is manufacturers that do this, not Google

 

[Funky Papa]

Microsoft would be better off forking the fuck out of Android and going all in with its own apps and services.

Not so long ago there were rumours about a massive investment in Cyanogen, but its CEO is a major dickwad and it's hard to read Nadella's intentions.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Nokia wasn't destroyed, it's still a healthy company with 110 000 employees and $24 billion revenue. It successfully transformed from a phone company to a network company by selling the sick part (phone business) and buying new ones (Alcatel Lucent).

I didn't know they had merged with Alcatel Lucent.

I guess that's how they have 110,000 employees again, since an enormous number were shed during the Elop and MS period. For awhile they were down to less then half of what they had I believe?

Microsoft would be better off forking the fuck out of Android and going all in with its own apps and services.

Not so long ago there were rumours about a massive investment in Cyanogen, but its CEO is a major dickwad and it's hard to read Nadella's intentions.

There's no point in doing this. It didn't work for Amazon.

 

[gcubed]

Microsoft would be better off forking the fuck out of Android and going all in with its own apps and services.

Not so long ago there were rumours about a massive investment in Cyanogen, but its CEO is a major dickwad and it's hard to read Nadella's intentions.

Is there any love between MS and Amazon? MS can make a fork that doesn't suck (replace shit fireos) and use anaconda Amazon's store

 

[LewieP]

- They could try to emulate their desktop business by providing a version of Windows 10 Mobile which you can install by yourself on a number of Android devices (maybe not on all, but on the most popular devices). Could be worth a try, there are nearly 2 billion Android devices. If they promise a pure experience without bloatware and fast updates, they might convince enough users.

- Another idea could be to create their own version of Android with full compatibility. It worked for them before with DOS I think.

Of course Google will try to prevent this, but they are already under antitrust investigation, and Microsoft could exploit this.

Microsoft made a $70m investment in Cyanogen, makers of CyanogenMod and Cyanogen OS. This is one of the outcomes of that.

 

[Spring Drive]

Microsoft would be better off forking the fuck out of Android and going all in with its own apps and services.

Not so long ago there were rumours about a massive investment in Cyanogen, but its CEO is a major dickwad and it's hard to read Nadella's intentions.

What if Oracle win their lawsuit against Google?

 

[Funky Papa]

There's no point in doing this. It didn't work for Amazon.

Amazon has nowhere the same pull, specially among businesses, which is Microsoft's new focus and strongest suit. I can imagine Microsoft going after Blackberry's old market, at least as a stepping stone.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

I'm looking forward to future here maps updates lol


Keep telling yourself that, Microsoft.

I thought Nokia sold the maps division to someone else? According to Wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_Maps_(app)):

In December 2015, Here, at the time a division of Nokia, was sold to a consortium German automotive companies as HERE Global B.V.. In March 2016, the new company announced it is discontinuing Here Maps for Windows Phone, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 8 and Windows 10, however, it continues to provide mapping for Bing Maps on these platforms.

 

[BeforeU]

Terry's email was spot on.

 

[LordRaptor]

What if Oracle win their lawsuit against Google?

If Oracle win their lawsuit against Google - which is clean room implemented code specifically to allow for interoperability - expect software patent armageddon to follow shortly afterwards. Step one is that all emulators are infringing. Step two is unlicensed file format compatibility (like exporting GIFs or MP3s) is infringing.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

If Oracle win their lawsuit against Google - which is clean room implemented code specifically to allow for interoperability - expect software patent armageddon to follow shortly afterwards. Step one is that all emulators are infringing. Step two is unlicensed file format compatibility (like exporting GIFs or MP3s) is infringing.

I don't want to be all dooms day, but I feel like if Oracle wins it's going to set a horrible precedent and set software back a few years. I know teams can just re-create their own API's and such, but it's going to be a mess.

 

[Silent Chief]

Only hundreds? Maybe their phone business was already on life support.

 

[Rafy]

Nokia really should not have sold their mobile division to Microsoft...
Why is it that whenever MS gets it's hands on something good, it turns to shit after a while?!

First Nokia, then Windows 10 and now console ports through the UWP platform...

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

Just imagine where would Nokia be if they were never acquired by Microsoft and made Android phones instead.

I'm not one to suggest Nokia would of stay anything like the global force they once was, the fact is they pretty were the Nintendo of the phone world and even being around in a small capacity is better than what we have now.

 

[gamz]

I'm not one to suggest Nokia would of stay anything like the global force they once was, the fact is they pretty were the Nintendo of the phone world and even being around in a small capacity is better than what we have now.

But unlike Nintendo they had zero US presence before MS.

 

[Silent Chief]

Is there any love between MS and Amazon? MS can make a fork that doesn't suck (replace shit fireos) and use anaconda Amazon's store

There is love to the extend that MS practically sued Barnes and Nobles out of the e-reader business, just so they can collect royalties on their secret list of invalid patents.

Would you love cancer if your worst enemy died of it?

Microsoft and Amazon are competing for cloud services.

 

[MCD]

But unlike Nintendo they had zero US presence before MS.

Nokia hate carriers. Same story in Japan.

 

[Jotaka]

 

[BeforeU]

Nokia really should not have sold their mobile division to Microsoft...
Why is it that whenever MS gets it's hands on something good, it turns to shit after a while?!

First Nokia, then Windows 10 and now console ports through the UWP platform...

Ya Nokia was shitting gold bricks prior to choosing Windows lol

These arguments keep and keep coming, do people no see how Android OEM's are doing except Samsung? Betting on Windows was the best business decision Nokia CEO would have taken at THAT TIME. Its shame that it didnt turned out right. But thats the thing, if it would have they would have been Samsung of Windows world. But thats the risk you had to take.

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

But unlike Nintendo they had zero US presence before MS.

Unlike the gaming market, that wasn't a problem for the majority of the time Nokia were on top.

 

[iBlue]

Is "guts" a proper word?

 

[Futureman]

I wonder if the Surface phone is real if that will be the only WP device your can buy ala Apple/iPhone?

 

[andythinkpad]

Just imagine where would Nokia be if they were never acquired by Microsoft and made Android phones instead.

The deal between MS and Nokia only sold the Nokia name to MS for a few years.

Nokia can start selling Android phone at the 2nd half of 2016.

This unholy union between MS and Nokia basically let Microsoft be and bad guy and mass fire Nokia's uncompetitive business, and I suspect a Ballmer/Elop move to artificially boost MS's mobile division for a few years.

 

[NumberThree]

Isn't Nokia allowed to start making phones again in a year or so? If so, hopefully they rehire some of these people.

Nokia is licensing the Nokia brand for phones (and tablets) to Foxconn, who bought the feature phone business from Microsoft last week and is planning to make new Android based devices with the brand.

 

[Funky Papa]

I wonder if the Surface phone is real if that will be the only WP device your can buy ala Apple/iPhone?

It makes sense for MS since Android now rules the low end market and the middle range is a Roman arena these days. At least they can afford some differentiation in the high end.

 

[Spring Drive]

Is "guts" a proper word?

verb (used with object), gutted, gutting.
9.
to take out the guts or entrails of; disembowel.
10.
to destroy the interior of:
Fire gutted the building.
11.
to plunder (a house, city, etc.) of contents:
Invaders gutted the village.
12.
to remove the vital or essential parts from:
The prisoner's letters were gutted by heavy censorship.

I wonder if the Surface phone is real if that will be the only WP device your can buy ala Apple/iPhone?

But there's three different iPhones now

 

[Luigiv]

Is "guts" a proper word?

Yes. In it's verb form it means to remove the guts (obviously used figuratively here).

Anyway, sad to hear that Nokia is dead. They made some really great candybar phones before the smartphone craze took off. But I guess they dug they're own grave by never embracing Android like everyone wanted them to.

 

[artsi]

Nokia is licensing the Nokia brand for phones (and tablets) to Foxconn, who bought the feature phone business from Microsoft last week and is planning to make new Android based devices with the brand.

There's also a new Finnish company HMD (old Nokia management / employees) that also got a license, and will start making Nokia branded smartphones / tablets.

 

[andythinkpad]

There's no point in doing this. It didn't work for Amazon.

It only didn't work for Amazon phone, it works pretty well for the Amazon tablet.

Although there is a global hive mind in the tech community that believe only the vanilla google brand of android is good, all other forks are inferior. For example Google can release a feature that exist in other forks 2 years earlier (app permission override in Xiaomi, or split screen in Samsung android), and the consensus will act like these new features are the sickest thing since sliced bread.

In other words, Google dominant the mind share in the Android community. It's too late for MS to take advantage of it. It would make sense for smaller company like Blackberry to fork a "secured" version of Android if they act a few years sooner.

 

[NumberThree]

There's also a new Finnish company HMD (old Nokia management / employees) that also got a license, and will start making Nokia branded smartphones / tablets.

That's just a new company Foxconn set up to handle all that business.

 

[Henrar]

The same result without the 7B. Probably would have died quicker.

Nokia isn't dead. Far from it, actually. No dead company can spend 16 bilion dollars on a merger with Alcatel Lucent.

 

[platocplx]

seems like MS bought their nokia phones just for the IP.

I think microsoft is seeing right now mobile OSes may be a costly battle for them, so instead they are going the route of streamlining the process in creating apps for them. Which results in the universal apps they are touting. They acquired xamarin for this purpose i think its a good strategy.

 

[artsi]

That's just a new company Foxconn set up to handle all that business.

They're working together (Foxconn will manufacture) but no, HMD is a independent company and neither Nokia or Foxconn has stake in it. Nokia does have a board seat, though.

http://www.hmdglobal.com/

HMD will be managed by an experienced group of mobile industry leaders. Arto Nummela, who previously held senior positions with Nokia and is currently the head of Microsoft’s Mobile Devices business for Greater Asia, Middle East and Africa as well as Microsoft’s global Feature Phones business, will serve as CEO on closing of the Microsoft transaction. HMD’s President on closing will be Florian Seiche, currently Senior Vice President for Europe Sales and Marketing at Microsoft Mobile, who previously held leadership roles at Nokia, HTC and other global brands.

Registered and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, HMD is owned by Smart Connect LP, a private equity fund managed by Jean-Francois Baril, a former Nokia executive, as well as by HMD management. The Board of HMD will consist of five members, including one representative from Nokia.

 

[jey_16]

i can't imagine what Balmer was thinking when buying Nokia.....what a waste of money

 

[NumberThree]

They're working together (Foxconn will manufacture) but no, HMD is a independent company and neither Nokia or Foxconn has stake in it. Nokia does have a board seat, though.

You're right, there was a weird split - Microsoft sold their assets to both FIH (a Foxconn subsidiary) and HMD (a separate entity). I have no idea how this all will work out.

 

[Guy.brush]

darn. All I ever wanted was a x86 windows phone.
Or at least one that runs ScummVM

 

[andythinkpad]

They're working together (Foxconn will manufacture) but no, HMD is a independent company and neither Nokia or Foxconn has stake in it. Nokia does have a board seat, though.

http://www.hmdglobal.com/

Well it's like Saab cars and Saab fighter jets. They are run by different companies but share the same name.

I think there is a demand in high end Android phone designed by European companies, in addition of the low end, rebranded Foxconn phone.

 

[_Ryo_]

Is it just me or does Microsoft doing their Windows 10 marketing spiel in their internal memo to ensure employees theyre still doing great seem really disrespectful? Like "Lots of you are gonna lose your jobs, but hey win 10 is looking fine and dandy. " Maybe Im wrong but it just seems odd. Never worked at a huge company, I dunno, it might be normal.

 

[ElNino]

Is it just me or does Microsoft doing their Windows 10 marketing spiel in their internal memo to ensure employees theyre still doing great seem really disrespectful? Like "Lots of you are gonna lose your jobs, but hey win 10 is looking fine and dandy. " Maybe Im wrong but it just seems odd. Never worked at a huge company, I dunno, it might be normal.

Having been through several large layoffs at a large company (and currently preparing for one), it's pretty normal for the company to put out a memo talking about how positive the future outlook is and that they are now in position to move ahead towards their targets. What stings is that many of those who were laid off will still have limited access to corporate email and services, so they will get to read the memo as well.

 

[LewieP]

darn. All I ever wanted was a x86 windows phone.
Or at least one that runs ScummVM

ScummVM has been on Android for ages.

 

[darkinstinct]

i can't imagine what Balmer was thinking when buying Nokia.....what a waste of money

At that point he didn't care anymore.

 

[tanooki27]

billions down the tube.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

At some point Microsoft held comparable and enven bigger marketshares than iOS in some key European countries such as Italy and Spain. Some of those devices were cheap, but the 920 (which was quite pricey at the time) was one of their best sellers for a while.

Then Microsoft ceased all marketing efforts and gave up on flaghships for an entire cycle, killing Windows Phone in a single year. People looking for a new Windows Phone had nothing to look forward. One could argue that is still the case, as the 950 still lacks some of the features introduced by the then-revolutionary 920 and Windows 10 turned out to be a buggy mess. There was no incentive to upgrade. If you pass through the Windows Phone OT you will notice that many (most?) of us just gave up despite our love for the platform.

Yup, I love my 920. Amazing phone, great OS but I've been waiting for a decent replacement for a couple of years and there's been nothing. Unless a Surface phone gets announced soon I'll have to jump ship to Android.

 

[Guy.brush]

ScummVM has been on Android for ages.

yes but DAT Google data kraken..

 

[gamz]

Yup, I love my 920. Amazing phone, great OS but I've been waiting for a decent replacement for a couple of years and there's been nothing. Unless a Surface phone gets announced soon I'll have to jump ship to Android.

Same. Love my 920 (still have it) but work didn't offer WP anymore so I went Android. I turned it into a WP phone. The only thing google I use on it is the browser. Everything else is MS. I still prefer ios over android, but it is what it is.

All the MS apps work really well on Android too.

 

[AnthonypUK]

Is it just me or does Microsoft doing their Windows 10 marketing spiel in their internal memo to ensure employees theyre still doing great seem really disrespectful? Like "Lots of you are gonna lose your jobs, but hey win 10 is looking fine and dandy. " Maybe Im wrong but it just seems odd. Never worked at a huge company, I dunno, it might be normal.

happens in small companies too we just laid of 20% of our staff back in January and i was one of the management team that had to deliver the we're cutting people, but the futures bright messages. Its wanky, you feel shitty, but you need to think of the rest of the staff who are staying around.

 

[jstripes]

i can't imagine what Balmer was thinking when buying Nokia.....what a waste of money

He was thinking he could instantly catch up to Apple. I imagine Apple's dominance and Microsoft's failure in the smartphone race really, really bothered him.

 

[ipitydatfu]

hooli nucleus