"Anger hundreds of Chinese workers"
The way Microsoft will run things they won't have to worry about it. They will still be angry, being called a worker though, that will no longer be the case.
The US Department of Justice has given its approval to Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia. The next step in the deal's finalization will up to the EU, which has said that it will issue its decision this Wednesday. The DOJ's go-ahead came in the form of a notice, released Monday by the US Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of …
There were some angry Chinese workers because of false rumours that Vietnamese workers had received a payoff related to the transfer and that Microsoft planned to decrease pay.
Quickly proved false and shutdown by guaranteeing the same wages for a year (actually a decrease when you consider inflation!) and by hardline action (plenty more of you where those came from, etc...)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/22/us-nokia-china-protest-idUSBRE9AL0I620131122
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2013-11/28/c_132926696.htm
In the article linked to it claims:
"""Microsoft will assume ownership and management of the facility"""
My understanding is that Nokia sold the building and rented back office space, so Microsoft will take on the liability of a long term lease.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/04/nokia-completes-sales-and-lease-back-of-its-espoo-finland-hq/
This post has been deleted by its author
Many telcos and device manufacturers will fail miserably whilst competing for Skype compatibility etc. But seeing as the desktop/office monopoly has been allowed for 20? years, then I assume that's why this is OK too.
Has development of Skype on Linux stopped ? it is v4 on my Linux laptop, and 6 on my daughters MacBook, but fair enough I surpose, with Linux being a threat to Microsoft, .....oh but no, Microsoft are a monopoly, so surely it's not OK. I'd really love to read or hear the arguments and counter arguments used in making this decision in the EU. When does fixing a monopoly problem trump over shareholders interests? I know Xerox were fixed many years ago, perhaps totally unrelated to this type of thing.
I think you miss the point, Skype will become/remain the norm for most, and many more as I assumed it is or will be integrated into Office (Office a monopoly on the desktop).
Regarding Skype vs Hangouts: coincidentally last night my daughter and I compared Skype to Hangouts on her newish Macbook Pro with me testing both a new and old laptop running Linux, the latency delay for Hangouts was enormously slower. We also tried combinations of Chrome/Firefox/Safari. She is going overseas, and she naturally wants to use Skype which proved to be a superior solution last night anyway..
How could the Skype monopoly be any different from how it is now? Microsoft already makes the software that runs on 100% of windows phones....
Anecdotally More people use facetime in the mobile world than Skype and that is 'monopoly ' owned by apple....
With an optimistic 10% market share I see no reason why there should be any issue with the merger...