We’re barely a week into 2012 and rumors are already resurfacing that at some point over the next 12 months Nokia will sell their smartphone unit to Microsoft. We can’t remember the first time such rumors appeared, but we do know the last time we covered this story. Just a couple of weeks ago Danske Bank claimed that during the first half of 2012 Nokia would do the unthinkable and sell their smartphone unit to Stephen Elop’s former employeer. Today, thanks to a string of Twitter messages from Eldar Murtazin, Editor in Chief of Mobile-Review, we now have more details as to what’s going to go down. Here are the relevant messages:
01: Steve Balmer, Andy Lees and Stephen Elop, Kai Ostamo will meet in Las Vegas to finalize agreement about Nokia smartphone unit. Bye Nokia
02: NOKIA smartphone unit could be transfered with one or two plants. Second half of 2012. Anouncement date isnt defined
03: Nokia brand wouldnt be used for smartphones in this new MS unit. Thats a kind of deal between Elop and Balmer
04: Nokia brand will be used for dumb phones and updated category of devices which they count as smartphone competitors. I dont believe in that
05: Most interesting thing about Nokia/MS deal that everything depends only from MS now. If MS decide then deal will be closed in 2012
06: MS isn’t sure that company need own plants/R&D for hardware etc. But MS definitely want to receive all patents connected with smartphones
07: Nokia chairman – Risto Siilasmaa. The main goal to finalize deal of mr. Elop with MS and replace him with another person (2012)
08: Stephen Elop will be resign as Nokia CEO in 2012 (I told that several times but repeat again).
09: MS partners aren’t keen about WP7 and saying that publicly. MS aren’t glad about that. MS want to create own successful products (like XBox)
10: Microsoft have a good examples from mobile market (Google Nexus, Motorola Mobility + Google; Apple with in-house R&D). They need to be equal
You’ve got to remember that Eldar predicted Nokia’s move to Windows Phone before anyone even thought it was an option on the table. Yes, Eldar has got things wrong before in the past, but this is something we feel will definitely happen mainly due to Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility and Apple’s achievements thanks to them becoming an integrated player. Why not have a smartphone brand that releases one to three devices every year?