Nokia Corp. will lay off 10,000 jobs globally and close plants by the end of 2013, the company said Thursday, in a further drive to save costs, according to AP. The cuts mean that it will close some research and development projects, including in Ulm, Germany, and Burnaby, Canada. The Finnish cellphone maker said it will also close the manufacturing plant in Salo, but will keep its research and development operations there. Nokia is fighting fierce competition from Apple Inc.'s iPhone and other makers using Google Inc.'s popular Android software, including Samsung Electronics Co. and HTC of Taiwan. It is also being squeezed in the low-end by Asian manufacturers making cheaper phones, such as China's ZTE. Last year, Nokia announced more than 10,000 layoffs, aimed at cutting operating expenses by Euro 1 billion ($1.31 billion) by 2013.
