Nokia today announced the European Commission has given unconditional approval for Nokia's planned acquisition of Navteq. Nokia has now received all the necessary regulatory approvals and expects to close the deal in the next 5 days. Nokia is acquiring Navteq for $8.1 billion.
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Finally! However it was not more just the Euro bureaucrats needed to prove that they are needed.
I guess that pretty much scupers any chance of another symbian version of TomTom
Unplugged wrote:I guess that pretty much scupers any chance of another symbian version of TomTom
Well, I dont mind, as long as they make maps vastly better, lower subscription prices, and introduce some sort of mapshare feature.
Might happen, you never know!
Now that the deal is going to go ahead, it proves that Nokia is serious about becoming a sotware and services company. They wouldn't spend billions if they were just messing around.
I guess that pretty much scupers any chance of another symbian version of TomTom
Well, that's a decision for TomTom, but given their recent financial difficulties it does seem unlikely they'll be putting many resources into competing with Nokia Maps.
However it was not more just the Euro bureaucrats needed to prove that they are needed.
Oh they're not all bad, after all it was the EU which has been going after Microsoft over its abuse of its Windows monopoly. No one else has been doing this.
krisse wrote:Now that the deal is going to go ahead, it proves that Nokia is serious about becoming a sotware and services company. They wouldn't spend billions if they were just messing around.
Yes however more and more software is going down the subscription route inc operating systems etc. It would do Nokia well to offer a one of price for maps and charge for map upgrades as well as subscription. I for one would never buy it in its current pricing form. Trying to extort a monthly fee is just more likely to push people to alternatives. When you can buy an all in one of alternative for �60 and only have to pay once and it will last you ( if you so wish ) maybe 5 years then it makes you wonder why people would pay Nokias subscription price. I will give you its a good sat nav system but its still woefully lacking in some features such as proper custom embedded POI and warning support. I would probably consider if it had the niceties of other systems but when im forced to pay yearly for it when I may not want to upgrade just to get the odd road change in a council estate im prob never likely to drive down then I will use the alternatives.
krisse wrote:
Well, that's a decision for TomTom, but given their recent financial difficulties it does seem unlikely they'll be putting many resources into competing with Nokia Maps.
TomTom are missing out on a huge market here though. They will get some sales even balancing out what they loose on ( if anything significant ) to piracy. Not only are they missing out on a potential market but their annoying their older customers and allowing Nokia and their competition to trounce all over them in effect creating MORE and bigger competition. Sounds like perfect business sence to me 😉
krisse wrote:
Oh they're not all bad, after all it was the EU which has been going after Microsoft over its abuse of its Windows monopoly. No one else has been doing this.
Meh some of their decisions I have supported ( IE being bundles so far into windows 98 is was "impossible" to remove. However the Windows N fiasco I find utter carp to be honest. Until they EU stop Apple bundling a web browser and media player ( quicktime etc ) with their os I think all the other company's should just shut the hell up and actually create something people want.
Take VLC for example. People use it over media player because its very simple, plays anything and is small and bloat free. Add annoying prompts to that and a lot of kak ads and instabilities and you have effectively turned it into Real Player and petitioning the EU because people are using media player and not downloading your player sounds like a cry for the whamulance.