Microsoft prepared to purchase Nokia phone division for $19B? [Update]

Ever since former Microsoft executive Stephen Elop joined Nokia, rumors were rampant that the Finnish manufacturer would start using Windows Phone software. Many were skeptical, and then it happened. This naturally transitioned to the rumor that Microsoft would acquire all or part of Nokia, and again it looks like it might be headed in that direction. Maybe.

In an obnoxiously coy tweet, Eldar Murtazin, who has a halfway decent track record with Nokia rumors, hinted that the software giant might purchase Nokia’s phone business for $19 billion USD. If true, it could be a good move for both companies to stay relevant and exciting in the mobile space.

Nokia makes fantastic hardware and Windows Phone 7 is pretty damn good software, no one would deny these claims. And if the Mango version turns out to be what Microsoft needs to keep up with iOS and Android, we could have a winner with this partnership. But before we get ahead of ourselves, the Twitter update from Murtazin says that it was decided that the software company in question could purchase a phone division, not that it would. Perhaps it’s a pointless semantic argument, but a valid one nonetheless.

At any rate, it’d be interesting to see how this pans out. Personally, I think it’d be a great deal and one that would benefit both parties.

[Via: Twitter]

Update: Nokia has gone on record and called this report “100% baseless”. Should we be taking that statement at face value?