Sony buys the Ericsson share of Sony Ericsson for €1.05 billion, with the two companies parting ways from a joint venture lasting around 10 years.
Sony also gets ownership of 5 patent families and an IP cross-licensing agreement.
The purchase kicks off what Sony calls the "four-screen strategy"-- linking smartphones, laptops, tablets and TVs with Sony network services such as Playstation Network and Sony Online Entertainment through similar interfaces and operating systems.
The deal will also allow the Swedish Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson to focus on what it does best-- selling wired/wireless broadband hardware and managed services as it competes against Chinese giant Huawei.
