Microsoft is shutting down mobile device R&D operations in Finland, costing the country of over 5.4 million a staggering 1,350 jobs. This was a death knell to Microsoft’s attempt to become a major player on the mobile phone market; its attempt to do so through the purchase of Nokia proved to be a failure of historic proportions.

Yesterday, it was made clear that the last remnants of Microsoft’s controversial Nokia acquisition will be phased out. Although Microsoft itself claims that the company will continue to target the smartphone market and even plans licensing Windows to interested mobile manufacturers, it is very unclear what this will mean in practice. Most likely, Microsoft has to become content with a subordinate role in the mobile telephony world.

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