Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's handset business will close on Friday, April 25, the company confirmed today.

More than seven months after announcing the deal, Redmond reported that "we have completed the steps necessary to finalize Microsoft's acquisition of the Nokia Devices and Services business."

This move, according to Microsoft, will help the company "accelerate innovation and market adoption" for Windows Phones, the large majority of which are produced by Nokia.

Redmond announced plans last year to acquire Nokia's devices and services business for €3.79 billion ($5.2 billion). The tech giant will also shell out another €1.65 billion ($2.18 billion) to license Nokia's patents for a grand total of €5.44 billion (about $7.2 billion) in cash.

Several weeks after Nokia shareholders approved the deal, the U.S. Justice Department gave it the stamp of approval, before the EU cleared the deal, concluding that the transaction "would not raise any competition concerns."

The deal, which was initially set to close at the end of the first quarter (March 31) was delayed as the companies awaited approval from the "final markets" in Asia. Chinese authorities gave the thumbs up almost two weeks ago after Redmond reiterated its commitment to licensing standards-essential patents.

"As with any multinational agreement of this size, scale and complexity," Microsoft said, the deal has been amended along the way to include the promise that Redmond will manage the Nokia.com domain and social media sites for up to a year.

Additionally, the final deal says the 21 employees in China focusing on mobile phones will join Microsoft, and that the tech giant will not acquire Nokia's Korean manufacturing facility.

For more, see Microsoft's Nokia Deal: What it Means.

The deal comes as Microsoft prepares to launch Windows Phone 8.1 this summer. For more, check out PCMag's first look at the new mobile OS (slideshow above), as well as our Hands On With the Nokia Lumia 630, one of several Nokia devices that will sport Windows Phone 8.1.