Nokia denies blogger's claim they will sell their smartphone division (again)

Rich Fiscus
5 Jan 2012 16:57

Several months after rumors of a pending Microsoft buyout first surfaced, Nokia is once again denying they will be selling their smartphone division.
There are numerous reasons rumors like this seem inevitable. Most prominently, Nokia CEO and President Stephen Elop, who made the deal to adopt Windows Phone for Nokia smartphones, is a former Microsoft executive.
The latest rumor is really a continuation of one started last year by Russian blogger and Mobile Review contributor Eldar Murtazin. He tweeted:

Steve Balmer, Andy Lees and Stephen Elop, Kai Ostamo will meet in Las Vegas to finalize agreement about Nokia smartphone unit. Bye Nokia

Of course, Nokia and Microsoft executives will certainly be in Las Vegas next weekend to attend the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). However, a representative of Nokia UK has denied the rumor, saying:

We've put these rumours to rest a long time ago. The focus for Nokia is on executing on our partnership around Windows Phone and growing the ecosystem, and each company has the tools they need to do so.

Among the other details claimed by Murtazin in subsequent tweets are that Microsoft is insisting on taking ownership of all smartphone-related patents and Nokia will focus on making "dumb phones and updated category of devices which they count as smartphone competitors."
He has also claimed, for some time, that Stephen Elop will be let go from Nokia at the end of 2012.
Murtazin has certainly been known for having reliable sources when it comes to Nokia. He reported Nokia's deal with Microsoft nearly two months before it was officially announced.