Microsoft purchases Nokia’s phone business

It's history in the making today: Microsoft has just announced, that they are going to purchase Nokia's (smart)phone business for around $7.2 billion (5.44 billion €). From the press release:

"Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia's Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia's patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions."

What does this mean for Windows Phone developers? The Nokia brand will continue to be used, the brand sales will continue as usual, but in the future, changes are surely to become visible. What those are, time will tell.