Back in February - before the sale of its devices and services business to Microsoft was complete - Nokia said that its MixRadio music streaming service would make a "key contribution to revitalizing the Microsoft brand". But after the deal was finalized, the outlook changed considerably, when Microsoft axed Nokia"s Series 40 and Asha ranges, and added that it was also looking to offload MixRadio to a third party.
And now, it has succeeded in doing just that. Microsoft announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell MixRadio to LINE, the company that runs the mobile messaging app of the same name, available on multiple platforms in 230 countries around the world.
Microsoft says that LINE will give MixRadio "an excellent platform for expansion to provide a valid and appealing alternative to illegal downloading in many markets around the world."
Jyrki Rosenberg, the head of MixRadio emphasized that fans of the app can continue to "expect the same level of commitment to bring a personalised music experience to Lumia smartphones, thanks to MixRadio"s recently launched recommendation engine."
The deal is not yet complete, but is expected to be finalized in early 2015.
Source: Microsoft