A new strategy for Microsoft?

We just heard about Steve Ballmer leaving that Microsoft announces the acquisition of Nokia. What may be considered as a good opportunity for these two companies reveals a strong change in Microsoft strategy for mobile web market.

Taking aside the painful experience of Surface tablet, Microsoft have never been considered (yes "considered" - just have a look at the secret history of Microsoft hardware - to see their hardware realizations beyond mices and keyboards) as a pure player in hardware. But it was at least not a fully vertically integrated one.
On its side, Apple, with a converging OS for Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad proposed a fully integrated (locked) vision to its end-users from years now. One like it or not, but such is the proposal.
Google, which once was its is a full software provider is now selling tablets, smartphones... on an integrated (but open) schema.

So times are changing and Apple vision of a vertically integrated model providing services to end-users through a cloud model seems to be promising.
Google understood some months ago and is clearly in first position. Apple stays on its positions but loses drastically market shares as the time goes by. Microsoft, on its turn, is changing its mind and strategy, acquiring one of the most experienced company in mobile phone devices. Won't it be to late?

Related articles

• Roundup: What's next for Microsoft? Tech executives speak out (techrepublic.com)


• For Steve Ballmer, a lasting touch on Microsoft (tech.fortune.cnn.com)


• Microsoft may be desperate enough to offer Windows Phone and Windows RT for free (pcworld.com)