Nokia Faces Class-Action Suit Over Windows Phone Deal 257
nk497 writes "Nokia has been hit with a class-action suit, with the claimant accusing the company of making 'false and misleading' statements about the ability of its deal with Microsoft to revive the struggling mobile maker. 'The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants told investors that Nokia's conversion to a Windows platform would halt its deteriorating position in the smartphone market,' read a statement (PDF) from the law firm Robbins Geller Rudman and Dowd. 'It did not.'"
Re:Does "class action suit" not mean what it used (Score:3, Informative)
Surely if there is a single complainant then this should not be a class action suit?
As I've understood it, in class actions you sue for "me and everybody else like me", you don't actually need more than one direct victim if the suit passes muster. Not that I think this one will..
Re:Does "class action suit" not mean what it used (Score:5, Informative)
The single claimant believes that there are other people that have the identical claim and it would be in Nokia and the courts interest if there was one lawsuit instead of many lawsuits.
The problem for Nokia share holders is that it appears that their CEO is getting more compensation from Microsoft than Nokia, furthering this appearance of impropriety is his decisions that appear to favor Microsoft over Nokia.
Re:So (Score:3, Informative)
As a N9 owner (Score:4, Informative)
The rough edges of the N9 were minor. It came with real multitasking and copy/paste from the first version. It's a great phone, and despite its rough edges it would have worked out well. There are a few gaps though, not the least bit applications. Nokia makes up for th at by including support for many things right out of the box.
The biggest flaw with the N9 was that the OS was NOT a major OS. The decision to move to WP7, while lamentable was sensible. However I wonder if at the rate of innovation if the N9 would have been where it needs to be today.
The deal that was not struck that should have, was to get Samsung on board and using MeeGo. That would have brought enough attention to get MeeGo established in the mobile marketplace.
Re:The ole' Embrace and Extend (Score:5, Informative)
When one of the world's largest corporations invests in you, you are not going to go out of business the next day, or the next year.
ïMicrosoft's new "strategic partnership" with Nokia is not its first. For a decade the software company has courted and consummated relationships with a variety of companies in mobile and telecom. Here are the ones I can remember:
LG. In February 2009 Microsoft Corp. signed a multiyear agreement for Windows Mobile to be included on devices from LG Electronics Inc. LG would use Windows Mobile as its "primary platform"for smartphones and produce about 50 models running the software.
What happened? LG made a few Windows Mobile devices but with WinMo uncompetitive, they abandoned the platform and moved to Android losing years of market presence and all their profits.
Motorola. In September 2003, Motorola and Microsoft announced an alliance. "Starting with the introduction of the new Motorola MPx200 mobile phone with Microsoft Windows Mobile software, the companies will collaborate on a series of Smartphone and Pocket PC wireless devices designed to create a virtual "remote control" for the Web-centric, work-centric, always-on-the-go mobile professional." In addition, the alliance includes cooperation on joint marketing and wireless developer programs.
What happened? Motorola launched a series of Windows Mobile phones culminating in the Motorola Q "Blackberry killer". As Motorola hit the rocks in profitability new management reached for the Android liferaft. The company now relies exclusively on the Droid franchise.
Palm. In September 2005 Palm and Microsoft announced a strategic alliance to "accelerate the Smartphone market segment with a new device for mobile professionals and businesses. Palm has licensed the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system for an expanded line of Treo Smartphones, the first of which will be available on Verizon Wirelessâ(TM) national wireless broadband network."
What happened? Palm shipped a few Windows Mobile, famously dismissing Appleâ(TM)s potential entry as something "PC guys" could never achieve. A new CEO, a private placement and an acquisition later the company is a division of HP making its own operating system.
Nortel. When Steve Ballmer was famously laughing at the iPhone and saying that he likes the Windows Mobile strategy "a lot" he was sitting next to the then-CEO of Nortel (Mike Zafirovski formerly of Motorola) with whom the company had just closed a strategic deal. "an alliance between Microsoft and Nortel announced in July 2006 ⦠includes three new joint solutions to dramatically improve business communications by breaking down the barriers between voice, e-mail, instant messaging, multimedia conferencing and other forms of communication".
What happened? Nortel declared bankruptcy two years later.
Verizon. In January 2009 "Verizon Wireless has selected Microsoft Corp. to provide portal, local and Internet search as well as mobile advertising services to customers on its devices. The five-year agreement will go into effect in the first half of 2009 when Microsoft Live Search is targeted to be available on new Verizon Wireless feature phones and smartphones." The deal would ensure Bing distribution to all of Verizonâ(TM)s smartphone customers.
What happened? Bing did ship on some devices but in October 2009 Droid came to Verizon.
Ericsson. In September 2000, "Ericsson and Microsoft Corp. today launched Ericsson Microsoft Mobile Venture AB. This previously announced joint company will drive the mobile Internet by developing and marketing mobile e-mail solutions for operators. The first solutions are expected to be on the market by the end of the year. The company is part of a broader strategic alliance between Ericsson and Microsoft"
What happened? Ericsson divested itself of the mobile division forming a joint venture which would go on and make more strategic alliances with Microsoft over Windows Mobile culmina
Re:Another ridiculous lawsuit (Score:2, Informative)
Hell, everyone on slashdot complaints how companies just want quick profit. Microsoft and Nokia are fresh air to that.
... Because they just want quick bancrupcy? There was some proverb about eggs and baskets, could somebody remind this guy? Because WP7 was rather sketchy basket, and Elop dumped all his eggs in there happily.
P.S: For fuck's sake, stop being so obvious with your sockpuppets. Recycled talk points are recycled:
Hell, everyone on slashdot complaints how companies just want quick profit. Microsoft and Nokia are fresh air to that.
Most people tend to bitch how companies don't think long term but just want quick cash. Well, not Microsoft. [slashdot.org] -- InsightIn140Bytes
People on slashdot always complain that companies aren't thinking long term but instead just try to get quick profits. [slashdot.org] -- TechNY
Re:Another ridiculous lawsuit (Score:4, Informative)
The difficulty with the N900 was that they introduced one phone.
Now I can think of a certain company that did quite well on just a single model phone. Just one model, their very first model, and it was a big hit. Every year or so an update on that one model, maybe selling the older model in tandem for a while, but basically their whole phone line-up is just one model.
Re:Another ridiculous lawsuit (Score:2, Informative)
with Nokia abandoning a promising platform that has still sold very well compared to their new lumia line
Last time this came up, it turned out [slashdot.org] there are no credible sources confirming this.
and going with an unproven OS that has been out almost two years now and still has done nothing but collect dust on retailers shelves worldwide.
"Almost two years" is about one and a half, actually. I suggest you go to your nearest AT&T store and check the dust on the shelves stocking Lumia 900 (I heard you don't have to go very far inside, they put them up front). Or T-Mobile with their little brother model, for that matter.
Re:The ole' Embrace and Extend (Score:5, Informative)
Adding an attribution to Horace Dediu (the original author) is not that hard.
Or possibly even a link to the original article [asymco.com].
Re:The ole' Embrace and Extend (Score:4, Informative)
--Horace