Tag: strategy

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Microsoft <3 Nokia

So Microsoft has acquired Nokia. There are even talks of Elop being chairman once Ballmer bows out. The case has come full circle: Elop has gone from Microsoft to Nokia to Microsoft. And bringing along Nokia to boot.

Now Microsoft will find itself in the same position as Google when the latter acquired Motorola. Now that Microsoft will own Nokia, will it be giving preferential treatment? Even more than their previous “special” relationship? Will it be able to avoid doing that? This is probably something all of Microsoft’s Windows Phone partners are thinking. But then, how many are there? So maybe that doesn’t really matter.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has a rather poor performance with hardware. Yes there’s the XBox and… XBox. And there are dismal failures like the MSX, Tablet PC, Zune, Kin, Slate, Surface… Will Elop and Nokia be bringing in something new? But then their track record for the past 3 years wasn’t great either.

Maybe they were just sticking to a scripted plan. Microsoft. Nokia. Microsoft.

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Google and Motorola Mobility

The patent war is heating up. After being foiled by Apple, Microsoft and RIM to acquire Nortel Networks’ patent portfolio, Google is now acquiring Motorola Mobility primarily for its patent portfolio. The thing is, Motorola builds it’s own Android mobile phones and tablets.  Back when Nokia was still exploring Android, it asked for preferential treatment, which Google rightly denied. One of the reasons that led Nokia to instead go to the Microsoft and the Windows Phone platform. Now that Google will own Motorola, will it be giving preferential treatment? Will it be able to avoid doing that? This is probably something all of Google’s Android partners are thinking even as they heap praise on Google for this latest move.

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PLDT Strategy

Back in the old days, PLDT owns the only large-scale communications infrastructure: the huge network of telephone lines. Not that it was huge enough: A large part of the country lacked a telephone infrastructure. It was a huge business opportunity but the costs and logistics involved is overwhelming and there were few if any entrants. PLDT enjoyed a monopoly as virtually the only telecommunication provider.

Then there was a disruptive technology: cellular phones. It eventually developed to the point where costs and logistics became more manageable. Quite a few cellular phone service providers (Globe, Smart, PilTel, IslaCom, ExtelCom, DigiTel/Sun Cellular, etc) cropped up to exploit this now lucrative market and compete with PLDT. Of course, PLDT didn’t stand still and soon acquired Smart, the fastest way to get your own cellular phone infrastructure.

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