Microsoft is selling its feature phone business for $350m

[RV_]

Well it looks like the end of the Windows feature phones, not their smart phones. MS says it will continue to develop Windows mobile.

 

This looks like the preparations for a new line of Surface phones and supporting the Lumias they sold too. Oh well our two Lumia 735s work great so they will live out their lives peacefully.

 

Excerpt:

 

"Microsoft is selling its feature phone business to FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group, and Finnish company HMD Global for $350m.

 

Microsoft said that as part of the deal, FIH Mobile will also acquire Microsoft Mobile Vietnam, the company's manufacturing facility in Hanoi, Vietnam. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2016, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

 

As part of the deal, Microsoft will transfer "substantially all" of its feature phone assets, including brands, software and services, care network and other assets, customer contracts, and critical supply agreements.

 

When the deal is completed, around 4,500 employees will transfer to "or have the opportunity to join" FIH Mobile or HMD Global, subject to compliance with local law.

 

Microsoft said it will continue to develop Windows 10 Mobile and support Lumia phones such as the Lumia 650, Lumia 950, and Lumia 950 XL, and phones from hardware makers including Acer, Alcatel, HP, Trinity, and VAIO."

 

the full article with links and related articles is here: http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-is-selling-its-feature-phone-business-for-350m/?tag=nl.e539&s_cid=e539&ttag=e539&ftag=TRE17cfd61