Software : Nokia slips the Microsoft ring on her finger this Friday |
| Nokia slips the Microsoft ring on her finger this Friday Posted:  Steve Ballmer may be gone, but his legacy at Microsoft will likely be remembered for some time after the Windows maker announced plans to gobble up Nokia, which finally closes this Friday. Nokia Corporation today announced that the keys to its Devices & Services kingdom will officially be handed off to Microsoft on Friday, April 25, just shy of seven months after the two companies confirmed months of rumors about a possible sale. Nokia noted "the transaction is now subject only to certain customary closing conditions," but the tentative tone of the exceptionally brief press release appears to be strictly a legal formality. Microsoft and Nokia announced the €3.79 billion (US$5.2B, AU$5.6B) acquisition on September 3, 2013, and the deal quickly breezed through regulatory approval last December in both the US and Europe. Now what?Neither company has been very open about what they plan to do once the deal is wrapped up, although former Nokia Chief Executive Officer Stephen Elop will be heading up Redmond's own devices division after receiving a controversially big payday for his services there. Microsoft General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs Brad Smith also announced in a blog post that his company will manage Nokia's website and social media sites "for up to a year," presumably to make the transition easier for customers. "We look forward to introducing the next billion customers to Microsoft services via Nokia mobile phones," Smith added, curious wording considering suppliers and end users were notified Friday that Nokia Oyj will be rebranded Microsoft Mobile Oy and operate as a Finland-based subsidiary of Microsoft. Nokia retains a vast patent portfolio and will continue to own and operate its HERE mapping platform (which Microsoft will license for the next four years), and is expected turn its attention to the company's less consumer-focused Solutions and Networks businesses.
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| Apple and Google dishing out incentives to earn mobile game exclusivity Posted:  Gamers on iOS or Android are facing a wait to get their hands on the most anticipated titles as both companies ramp up their efforts to secure periods of exclusivity, reports say. The Wall Street Journal claims both firms are offering high profile developers incentives such as prominent positions on the app stores and in marketing materials in order to get first dibs. The Journal says the incentives-only ploy has already enabled Apple to win months of exclusive access to Plants vs Zombies 2 and Cut The Rope. Now both Apple and Google are said to be intensifying their attempts as they realise the significance of the gaming sector within the app race. Carrots dangledThe end game for consumers though is likely to be frustrating delays when it comes to the hottest titles, rather than the democratic all-in approach. Android fans are no means strangers when it comes to waiting for apps to make the jump from iOS, but Google's massive market share has meant this disparity has become less evident in the last few years. Of course, developers will have the choice to stick to their guns with simultaneous launches on both platforms, but when the carrot of an 'Editors Choice' or 'Featured' placement is dangled it may prove hard to stay impartial. |
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