Microsoft Corp. announced today it has completed its acquisition of the Nokia Devices and Services business. The acquisition has been approved by Nokia shareholders and by governmental regulatory agencies around the world. The completion of the acquisition marks the first step in bringing these two organizations together as one team.
Stephen Elop
“Today we welcome the Nokia Devices and Services business to our family. The mobile capabilities and assets they bring will advance our transformation,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. “Together with our partners, we remain focused on delivering innovation more rapidly in our mobile-first, cloud-first world.”
Reporting to Nadella is former Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop, who will serve as executive vice president of the Microsoft Devices Group, overseeing an expanded devices business that includes Lumia smartphones and tablets, Nokia mobile phones, Xbox hardware, Surface, Perceptive Pixel (PPI) products and accessories.
Microsoft welcomes personnel with deep industry experience in more than 130 sites across 50 countries worldwide, including several factories that design, develop, manufacture, market and sell a broad portfolio of innovative smart devices, mobile phones and services. As part of the transaction, Microsoft will honor all existing Nokia customer warranties for existing devices.
In Latin America, Windows Phone has strengthened its position in 2103, and is now the second most preferred mobile OS in Brazil, Argentina and Peru, working with operators like Telefonica and America Móvil. According to IDC, Microsoft’s mobile OS had the highest growth rate in the region, with a 148% growth during 2013. As part of its strategies to attract developers and benefit consumers, Microsoft offers operator billing platform in the Windows Phone store, being one of only two companies to offer this advantage in the region.
Windows Phone is the fastest-growing ecosystem in the global smartphone market, and its portfolio of award-winning devices continues to expand. In the fourth quarter of 2013, according to IDC, Windows Phone reinforced its position as a top three smartphone operating system and was the fastest-growing platform among the leading operating systems with 91 percent year-over-year gain.
More information about Microsoft’s expanded family of devices and services is available here. www.nokia.com/us-en/
