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Intel, Microsoft, Nokia: Scratching One Another's Backs

Written by: Rocco Pendola 04/23/12 - 3:00 PM EDT
Tickers in this article: MSFT INTC NOK
The following commentary comes from an independent investor or market observer as part of TheStreet's guest contributor program, which is separate from the company's news coverage.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Finally, outside of Apple(AAPL) and Google(GOOG) , things are getting exciting once again in tech.

In case you have not been paying attention, let me give you a swift rundown of several stories that have been nicely covered here on TheStreet and elsewhere over the past several months:

  • Intel(INTC) makes push for ultrabooks.
  • Concurrently, Microsoft(MSFT) jumps on the bandwagon.
  • Windows about to seamlessly power smartphones, tablets, tablet PCs and laptops, possibly even a Nokia(NOK) tablet.

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    As Peter Pachal argues over at Mashable, Microsoft is positioning itself to pose a considerable threat to Apple's iOS and Google's Android.

    As usual, we can hardly call this a novel "strategy." It's merely a turn of events that takes another page out of Apple's book. If you're a Windows user, who is familiar with or also uses iOS, you've seen Microsoft make Windows look, function and feel more like iOS over the years. And now, it appears that Microsoft will set up a situation where the forthcoming Windows 8 runs seamlessly across PCs, tablets, fancy new hybrids and, quite possibly smartphones.

    If this plan works, will it dethrone Apple? Probably not. But, it will certainly make Microsoft a player in the tablet and smartphone arenas, which could provide meaningful fuel to boost the company's already massive revenues.

    The partnership between Microsoft and Nokia -- and the possibility that Microsoft takes out Nokia -- makes this situation all the more interesting. The Lumia from Nokia appears to only be the beginning. As a standalone product, it and other Windows phones will do fine. With any luck, they'll scoot ahead of Research in Motion's (RIMM) Blackberry and close the gap between Android and iOS and Windows in the mobile market.