Microsoft-Nokia

In 2014, Microsoft closed on its $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia’s hardware division, growing its mobile phone portfolio and capabilities. While more offerings in a hot industry can help channel partners, in this case, other vendors including Apple and Google proved too dominant for Microsoft and Nokia to overcome. The deal proved disastrous, with Microsoft writing down the purchase in 2015 and laying off thousands of workers. The next year, Microsoft sold parts of the smartphone business for $350 million to a Foxconn subsidiary and HMD Global.