On the surface, the recent deal for Microsoft to buy Nokia made perfect sense. Microsoft is one of the most successful companies in the tech industry, but its specialty has always been software. So the initial partnership with Nokia, which had always made great hardware, seems complementary.
Looking even further, Microsoft is finally putting emphasis on mobile products so it was shrewd to purchase the company that was having success with its Windows phone platform. However, as simple as that may sound, there was more to the deal than that. Apparently both Microsoft and Nokia were working on alternate plans that would have compromised their partnership.
According to theverge.com:
“Microsoft and Nokia need each other more than you’d expect. While Nokia was testing Android in a variety of different ways, Microsoft was busy experimenting with a Surface Phone. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans have revealed to The Verge that the company built a number of prototype devices to test the viability of such a phone. We’re told that Terry Myerson, who now heads the Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox operating systems, was in charge of the secret Surface phone project. We understand the company had originally considered the idea of its own phone devices as a ‘Plan B’ if Nokia wasn’t successful with Windows Phone.”
“While Microsoft was busy experimenting with concepts for its own hardware, Nokia was also building its own Android devices. The New York Times reported details of one particular project today, but there were more. Sources familiar with Nokia’s plans have revealed that the company was growing increasingly frustrated last year with Microsoft’s work to push Windows Phone to lower price points. An effort code-named ‘Tango’ resulted in cheaper handsets with low specifications, but Nokia needed more.”
Apparently, Microsoft and Nokia’s both felt too dependent on each other and started exploring other options. Like when a man and woman are dating and the relationship gets serious, they needed to take the next step and get married, or call things off.
Microsoft decided to marry Nokia, purchasing the phone division and making sure that Nokia phones will be made exclusively for Windows.
