Agree fully. Back then Snowden was not an issue, but being able to build a system from open sources for specific handsets might become relevant, if the more optimistic of my estimates come true (ie: people wake up and take notice on how insecure their data is and they at least try to get themselves into a drivers seat on what is sent back to whom and when)

>The big issue was the licensing fees, that I think would have been dropped without buying Nokia. It was the only way to compete.
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>But let's not forget that Microsoft is currently considered the cool kid on the block and generating more buzz than either Google or Apple.
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>>MS wanted to monetarize the OS for mobile up front, created closed source again. They should have viewed mobile as leverage, not as potential direct cash cow via licensing fees - which was one of the recurring themes before buying Nokia. And even Nokia only kept them from being eliminated from the mobile game, doubtful they will recover the investment, but they HAD to do something...