Finnish equipment maker Nokia has strongly denied new rumours that its new operating system partner Microsoft could take over its handset division.
This was the second time that Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin speculated that a deal was in the works, but…
Finnish equipment maker Nokia has strongly denied new rumours that its new operating system partner Microsoft could take over its handset division.
This was the second time that Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin speculated that a deal was in the works, but the first time that he mentioned a possible valuation: US$19bn.
Nokia CEO Steven Elop, himself a Microsoft alumnus, was quoted saying that there had been no takeover talks, and that the two groups were focusing on developing their first Nokia handsets with Microsoft’s operating system.
He added that his eyes were firmly on improving short-term performance and ensuring that “the execution is flawless.”
Nokia has had a tough time of late, issuing a profit warning earlier this week, and before that losing its position as top handset maker by revenue to Apple. The company reportedly remains the top global maker by volume, although Samsung now has the crown for Europe.
Nokia, and its network JV partner Siemens of Germany, have meanwhile been trying to sell a stake in the business to private equity.
