So, Microsoft buys Nokia in a week where their joint handsets seem to be making headway in the UK.
The reality is that these companies have great products for countries with bad connectivity and therefore have a window of opportunity to take on Apple's ultra expensive products and Google's 'must be on the internet at all times' products.
It fasctinates me how dogmatic these massive companies are. Apple became the biggest company on earth with a paltry 8% market share of its core mobile sector and has refused - to date - to compromise its margins for volume at the expense of its app and content services, which is what should be driving growth.
Google has launched products that don't work for 90% or the world's population because their internet connections are either unreliable or moderated. How dumb is that from the smartest guys on the planet ?
Microsoft under its woeful departing CEO has managed to milk its cash cow, but is obviously running on empty. Nokia lost the plot a decade ago. Does doubling up on failure breed a success ?
Well, in the developing world the merged entity may have an opportunity. The next purchase for Microsoft has to be Dropbox to add cloud nous to its capabilities.
The developing world cloud is the real prize for the next generation of technology companies.