Microsoft thought about and then decided against Nokia acquisition

While Samsung has come out and said that it is not interested in Nokia, it seems that Microsoft was a more serious suitor for the Finnish based company. According to The Register, the Redmond based software giant seriously considered making a bid for Nokia, but declined to do so after the company opened its books. The information comes from "well-placed sources" who say that the Redmond gang was unimpressed with Nokia's numbers.

The bottom line is that Nokia doesn't really want to sell itself to another company, and Microsoft would rather have Nokia as a customerfor its Windows Phone OS than buy the company out completely.  Things are not yet in the desperate stage for Nokia despite a stock price that has dropped 40% over the last three months to hit a 15 year low. Earlier on Monday, Korean manufacturer Samsung dismissed rumors that it was about to lob in a bid for Nokia. On Friday, Nokia's depressed stock rose as much as 11% intra-day on rumors that Samsung was going to buy the Finnish handset manufacturer.

source: TheRegister via WPCentral