Nokia holds that special something in many phone users hearts, and it seems they might be on their way back to bigger. After the Windows Phone & Microsoft fiasko that left the once mighty Nokia to shiver in the wind, they have mentioned many times a come back into consumer electronics. Today the company released a press statement detailing its plans to acquire Withings and enter the digital health market.
Nokia gets the know-how that it needs in Withings
If you don’t know Withings, it’s a French company that produces a lot of different kind of ‘digital health devices’. They are most known for their smartwatches called the Activité but they also produce products like an E-ink fitness tracker, and Bluetooth thermometer. After the purchase, Withings will become part of Nokia’s advanced technologies division, and help build all sorts of new technology.
We have said consistently that digital health was an area of strategic interest to Nokia, and we are now taking concrete action to tap the opportunity in this large and important market. – Nokia CEO, Rajeev Suri
Nokia has been restructuring it’s products and product categories after it sold its mobile phone business to Microsoft. With the Withings merger Nokia adds one of the best known digital health device manufacturer and design, that is hard to match to their growing portfolio. Nokia also bought Alcatel-Lucent last April to strengthen its position in the networking equipment industry, and also sold its Here mapping business to car manufacturer alliance later that year.
Nokia is not in a rush to market
Nokia is not changing anything with Withings yet. The company was quick to reassure users that Withings’ products will not change for the time being. All old customers will keep the same kind of support and services that they have now. Many of course are interested to know when Nokia might release it’s first digital health device with the Nokia name. Suri states that he is in no rush to bring devices with Nokia branding to the market and Nokia will take its time to reestablish its brand to the market.
With this acquisition, Nokia is strengthening its position in the Internet of Things in a way that leverages the power of our trusted brand, fits with our company purpose of expanding the human possibilities of the connected world, and puts us at the heart of a very large addressable market where we can make a meaningful difference in peoples’ lives. – Nokia CEO, Rajeev Suri
As of Finn I am very happy to see that Nokia is finally getting its act together, and personally I am really interested to see what Nokia & Withings collaboration can bring to the market.
Source: Nokia
