Skip to main content

Microsoft’s Nokia deal given the final go-ahead, set to close later this month (Updated)

nokia and microsoft acquisition approval delayed until april
Image used with permission by copyright holder

By sending out a statement the week before its Build 2014 conference, Microsoft pre-empted the inevitable questions it faced regarding the acquisition of Nokia’s Devices and Services business, which had been pushed to sometime in April. When the deal was first announced, the press release stated it expected to have everything completed by the end of March 2014, a deadline it would go on to miss.

The statement, published on Microsoft’s own blog, was written by Brad Smith, the company’s General Counsel and VP of Legal and Corporate Affairs. He said the regulatory process was nearing the final stages, and approval for the deal to go ahead had been given in 15 different markets around the world.

Why the hold up? Cryptically, Smith says it’s still waiting for approval in “the final markets,” but didn’t state which ones. However, Nokia shed some more light on the situation in its own statement. “The transaction is pending approvals from certain antitrust authorities in Asia, which are still conducting their reviews,” and added that despite this, both it and Microsoft were “confident the transaction will close.”

Updated on 04-08-2014 by Andy: Nokia has sent out a second statement, dated April 8, saying it had received regulatory approval from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. The signature joins ones from the U.S. Department of Justice, the European Commission, and other key jurisdictions. It’s added the transaction is still on target to close during April.

According to Bloomberg, quoting sources in the Chinese government, Huawei and Samsung both “expressed concern to China” about the deal, saying they feared the partnership would result in patent licensing fees being raised. The report said that despite this, officials told the publication it was “likely to approve the deal.” Interestingly, Nokia’s closing paragraph in its April 8 statement says the regulatory process included a “thorough review of it patent licensing practices,” and that it hadn’t been challenged, or been asked to make any changes.

Microsoft opened the doors to its Build developer conference on April 2, which if the initial target had been met, would have allowed it to talk about its new Windows Phone plans as the proud owner of Nokia’s Devices division. Nokia and former CEO Stephen Elop presented new devices on stage during the opening keynote, but there was a notable lack of discussion regarding the future for the almost-wed couple.

Article originally published on 03-24-2014

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more