The big question is, will it help increase market share? Maybe (see below) What it will do is keep the platform alive. Nokia was pretty much on life support. Experts have been predicting the company would run out of cash sometime next year. Without Nokia, there would be no hope for Windows Phone.

Another unanswered question is will other hardware manufacturers continue to make Windows Phones? I see Samsung getting out of the business. HTC is a question mark. Lenovo and Hauwai have phones coming. I think you'll see Microsoft drop licensing fees for Windows Phone OS. There could be anti-trust issues if they don't.

There are also things like this
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57601096-75/microsofts-nokia-effect-15-percent-smartphone-share-by-2018 (not dominant but a huge share compared to what they have now)
http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-buying-nokia-makes-perfect-sense

I also saw other articles today regarding patent licensing (Microsoft will have better mobile patenting licensing than Apple or Google) and that Microsoft will be making more than $40/phone rather than $10. (I can't find either article now, they've scrolled off my twitter feed)

If Windows Phone were to disappear, my next phone would be Apple and I really dislike the iPhone, especially the new iOS7.

>You think they will start a "Buy our OS and get a free phone" <g>
>
>If Windows OS doesn't start showing up on Samsung phones the game is over ... at least in the US, Europe and first world Asia.
>
>And tomorrow in Berlin Samsung will introduce the Note III (whcih will definitely be in my pocket this quarter)