The sale of Nokia’s devices and services division to Microsoft is one step closer after the former company’s shareholders voted in favour of the deal. Nokia said that more than 99% of votes at its EGM yesterday approved the acquisition, which is expected to close in the early months of 2014. Microsoft has agreed to pay $7.2bn for “substantially all of Nokia’s Devices & Services business, license Nokia’s patents, and license and use Nokia’s mapping services”, with Nokia’s music services part of the deal. What remains to be seen is what happens to them once it closes, with Microsoft already having its own Xbox-branded digital music offering. Nokia’s Music Unlimited remains a going concern in India, China, Brazil and some other markets, while its Nokia Music / Mix Radio service has won plenty of praise on Windows Phone. The ball will be in Microsoft’s court to either build on this success, or fold it into the Xbox brand.
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,…