Nokia to take $6bn bath on Navteq following AlcaLuc purchase

When Nokia sold its handset business to Microsoft, one question which was asked was “why didn’t the mapping business go at the same time?” That echoes with the confirmation of rumours that a sale was in the offing. The company has issued an announcement stating “Nokia has initiated a review of strategic options for its HERE …

[dogged]

It was reported at the time that MS didn't buy the mapping because Nokia didn't want to sell it.

If that's changed, there's no real reason why they wouldn't be a potential bidder.

[Mage]

Suckers...

After all, MS at the end of the day got very little buying the phone business, no IP, no long term use of brand, ditching staff and factories ...

MS may tell itself, "Look an 80% discount on original price!"

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Suckers...

"After all, MS at the end of the day got very little buying the phone business, no IP, no long term use of brand, ditching staff and factories ..."

They got a license to the IP. They got to choose which staff and factories to keep. They got a viable phone business - which is more than they would have had if Nokia switched to Android...

[imcdnzl]

Yep that was my understanding too - that they wanted to buy the maps business but had to settle for licensing it. Kind of hope that Microsoft do get it as they are doing a lot of nice stuff at the moment.

[dogged]

Swings and roundabouts. If MS buy it, you can pretty much guarantee that they'll continue to offer it (probably for free) on all smartphone OS's. (OS's looks wrong, what's the plural of abbreviated Operating Systems?)

However, the biggest market for HERE is actually devices - Navteq powers hundreds of millions of factory fitted satnavs, all the aftermarket gear apart from TomTom and loads of handheld/bike-mounted devices.

I actually wouldn't be surprised to see a consortium of car manufacturers bid for it.

[Gordon 10]

Plural

OSes

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Plural

One bus, two buses...

[Arbstop]

Re: Plural

unless grocers have more than one OS

[returnmyjedi]

I'm a big fan of HERE maps, largely for the offline capability and it's excellent(compared to other free ones at least) navigation. Microsoft seem the most likely buyer but as there hasn't been a leak from their colander like press office this seems unlikely. Maybe Apple then? The fruity maps are much improved from the laughable state they were in at launch, but they still get a bit disorientated at an alarming rate.

[Dan 55]

And so more technology goes to the US big three...

It's not as if it wasn't making a profit, it is, just not enough.

[Thunderbird 2]

Wishful thinking

Is Skoda were to buy HERE and license the technology to other car manufacturers, would we then see "Powered by Skoda" signs on the rear ends of Mercedes and Ferrari ?

[Mark 85]

Most confusing

They're getting back into automotive telemetrics and also ditching the mapping. I would have thought the two go hand in hand?

[Anonymous Coward]

@Mark ... Re: Most confusing

Your confused because you're wrong.

Or rather... think about this question... which group within Nokia that is getting in to telemetrics? ;-)

Posted Anon for obvious reasons.

[Mark 85]

Re: @Mark ... Most confusing

I might be wrong.. but I got what the article said: It also begs the question as to where Nokia's priorities lie with its telematics business, as it announced last May that it was re-entering the automotive telematics arena,

Would not mapping fall into that arena? The blackboxes for things like speed, mileage, where you were at the time of a crash... etc.?

To answer your question about which group, other than what the article said, I have no idea.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: @Mark ... Most confusing

Sigh.

The point is that the unit that is doing telemetrics is the same unit that does the maps. (HERE)

So Nokia it appears is splitting in to Phone network gear, and then Here. (Which includes traffic.com ...)

And yes, again posted anon for obvious reasons

[Mark 85]

Re: @Mark ... Most confusing

Thanks. Now I got it. Some days I'm as thick as a brick...

[Stephen McLaughlin]

Bell Labs..

..lost in all this. Sad to see what it is now..

[ecofeco]

Re: Bell Labs..

Weep at wonders past.

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