Back when Microsoft and Nokia did their first deal a couple of years ago, I thought it a bold move intended to speed Microsoft’s growth in the mobile operating service business. I predicted together the companies would offer a really low cost Windows smart phone and cover the planet with them – buying share at the expense of some near term profit. Nokia handset sales were sliding and Windows phones owned only 3% of operating system market share. It didn’t happen. Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer didn’t pull that low-end-of-the-smart-phone-market trigger.
With the report today that Microsoft will full-out buy Nokia, I think we may finally have contact. Mobile is the innovation lab of the 21st century and MSFT are share junkies. Softies love being techies, they love innovation, but market share and market power are their DNA. Forget share price, forget war chest, forget Xbox Connect. Domination is what gets the softies up in the morning.
This purchase will unleash beast. The way forward — the big first step – will be global. Nokia should be a big help here. IMHO, Elop will not be the leader. And I think we have not heard the last of Bill. Peace.