So far there have been a number of countries that have approved the Microsoft/Nokia deal, with Taiwan being the latest amongst them. However there is the question of when will the deal actually be concluded? Well the good news is that for those who are looking forward to a new era when Microsoft officially acquires Nokia, you will want to mark your calendars for April.
According to both Nokia and Microsoft, both companies have revealed that they are now expecting the deal to conclude in April, as opposed to March which was what they had initially expected, but we guess better late than never, right?
In a statement that Nokia made on its website, “As previously communicated, the closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Nokia and Microsoft have already received most of the required regulatory approvals, including approvals from the European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice.”
They also add, “Furthermore, Nokia and Microsoft continue to make good progress related to the closing conditions and integration planning. However, the transaction is pending approvals from certain antitrust authorities in Asia which are still conducting their reviews.”
Microsoft is also expected to begin producing their own brand of Windows Phone devices as opposed to having to completely rely on OEMs as they have done so in the past. We expect Microsoft will continue maintaining their partnerships with OEMs, but at the same time we have to admit that we’re excited to see what Microsoft will be able to come up with, given what they have done with the Surface (in terms of hardware design).