Microsoft is buying Nokia’s devices and services business for $7.2bn in a deal that’s expected to close early in 2014. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has already resigned: he’ll be in charge of an expanded devices team at Microsoft once the deal goes through. “With the commitment and resources of Microsoft to take Nokia’s devices and services forward, we can now realize the full potential of the Windows ecosystem, providing the most compelling experiences for people at home, at work and everywhere in between,” said a joint statement from Elop and Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, who announced last week he’ll be stepping down in the next year. The move comes after slow but steady growth for Microsoft’s Windows Phone business, fuelled mainly by Nokia’s range of Lumia devices. It’s unclear what the ramifications will be for the Nokia Music service: “We plan to pursue a single set of supporting services for our devices, and we will figure out how to combine the great Nokia efforts into our Microsoft services as we go through the integration process,” wrote Ballmer in a memo to staff.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…