Nokia is going down

Image: Self-Production

Nokia continues receiving bad news. The Korean manufacturer Samsung is already the first in Europe on mobile phone sales. According to the quarterly technology report by IDC, the market share that Samsung has obtained is 29.3%, surpassing the Finnish brand that has passed to the second position with a share of 27.9%.

Samsung increased its sales by 5.3% with 13.2 million units, while Nokia’s sales fell by 10.3% with 12.5 million units sold. In this quarter, the Western European mobile market grew 5% with 45 million phones sold, which 21.2% were smartphones, whose sales grew by 76%.

At the same time, Apple became the first Smartphone mobile manufacturer, with an increase of 49% and a market share of 20.8% in this segment. They sold 4.4 million units, while Nokia reduced its share to 19.6% and 4.2 million units sold.

Nokia was the only major manufacturer that reduced his sales of Smartphones and they did so by 15%. Apple, who only sells smartphones, reached in the third place of general phones with a market share of 29.3%.

RIM (Blackberry) and HTC are sellers of smartphones as well. They placed in the fourth and fifth place in the general sale of phones. They have a market share of 7.8% and sales of 3.5 million. RIM suffered a rise of 48% while HTC rose a 271%.

In the specific market for smartphones, these two manufacturers occupy the third and fourth place with a market share of 16.5%.

In this segment, Samsung is the fifth largest with a market share of 12.1% due the sales of 2.6 million units, an increase of 744%.

Referred to the operating systems for smartphones, Android is the first on sales with a market share of 35.7%, followed by Apple's IOS with a 20.8% and Symbian with a 20.5%.

In the following chart we can see how the Nokia OS has decreased during the last two year:

Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Mobile OS Market Share

In conclusion, with the Nokia's results, we can see how the movement by the company to joining with Microsoft has been done due to solve this kind of lacks in the market.

The mobile phone market it is more active than ever. The companies put in the market every year new models to try to compete with the successful iPhones or Samsung. All this competence is really good for the customer due to this means that we are going to have access to products the more quality and chipper.

Source: elEconomista

Microsoft Acquire Skype

Image: Self-Production

Today we have one of that news that we are required to post.

Microsoft has confirmed the purchase of the Internet communications company, Skype, by 8,500 million dollars (about 5,900 million euros) they will pay in cash to the group of investors led by Silver Lake.

The acquisition will increase the accessibility of real time video and voice communications, providing "benefits for the consumers and for the company generating new business and making” has said the giant in a statement.

This purchase has been the investment more expensive in the 36-year history of the company founded by Bill Gates, surpassing the 6,000 million dollars paid for aQuantive inc.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has been happy with the surgery because "together we are going to create the future of communications in real time so the people can stay connected with family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world. "

Microsoft's plan for the newly learned is that Skype could be compatible with their services Xbox, Windows Phone, Kinnnect and while that will sync with the applications of Messenger, Hotmail, Lync, Outlook or Xbox Live, and has even been committed to "continue to invest in platforms that do not belong to Microsoft."

Skype will become a division within the company, being responsible for management of Tony Bates, who will report exclusively to Steve Ballmer. "Microsoft and Skype share a vision of bringing innovative software and products to our customers," said Bates.

Skype was founded in 2003, Skype has 170 million registered users and over 207 million minutes of voice and video conversations recorded in 2010. It has been a pioneer in the creation of rich and meaningful connections to the conversation both personal and business.

In 2005 EBay bought the company for $ 2,600 million in cash and stock. Although this investment was not satisfactory and the online auction site sold a 70% stake in 2009 to Silver Lake Partners for U.S. $ 2,750 million.

Under the leadership of Silver Lake, Skype has advanced exponentially in their area of business, getting a monthly increase of 150% of minutes, with a great opportunity to develop new sources of income and feed their peer-to-peer.

In my opinion Microsoft it is doing a good strategy. With this acquisition and with the alliance with Nokia it is obtaining a good position in order to compete in the market. With this acquisition how it has been explained in the post Microsoft is going to implement the Skype software in his own products. At this way they are going to create an advantage.

It is true that we are talking about huge quantities of money but if you have the money why do not do the deal?

Microsoft Stock Market:

Flash Player 9 or higher is required to view the chart
Click here to download Flash Player now

View the full MSFT chart at Wikinvest

Source: FInancialTimes