Microsoft And Nokia Acquisition Talks Fell Apart Over Price Concerns, Reports Suggest

Did Microsoft Almost Buy Nokia?
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A Nokia Lumia 925 Windows Phone
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Despite recent critical and commercial successes, Nokia is still in deep trouble.

While it formerly ruled the mobile phone universe, sales of its Lumia Windows 8 smartphone line have not managed to take much marketshare from the Android (Samsung) and iOS market leaders.

Meanwhile adoption of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 platform is also stalling on other manufacturers. IDC says Windows Phone currently has a global marketshare of about 3% - minuscule in comparison to Android. The result is that both Microsoft and Nokia - which sells 79% of all Windows Phone devices - are prepared to look for new options.

And according to press reports on Thursday, until quite recently they were looking at each other.

The Wall Street Journal quoted "people familiar with the matter" who said Microsoft was in talks with Nokia as recently as a month ago over a potential deal to buy its handset business.

The Journal said the multi-billion dollar deal would have seen Microsoft take over the company and eventually release its own line of Windows 8 devices.

However the deal apparently fell apart after the two sides failed to agree on a price, given Nokia's continued marketshare weakness.

Take a look at our slideshow of Nokia through the ages below, and let us know: what was your favourite Nokia device?

Nokia: Design Through The Ages
Nokia 1011 (1992) (01 of14)
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Named after 10 November, the date it launched, this was among the world's first GSM mobile phones. Oddly enough, you could receive text messages but not send them. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 2110 (1994) (02 of14)
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The 2110 featured a 99-number phonebook, and a two-way scrolling control which meant you could actually navigate them. It was also the first phone with the signature 'Nokia' ringtone. You know the one... It was based on Gran Vals, a guitar piece by the 19th century Spanish composer Francisco Tarrega. Over time it was also highly annoying. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 8110 (1996)(03 of14)
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The Nokia 8110 was the first slider phone and was featured in the Matrix, resulting in a generation of slick idiots pretending to be Neo when picking up calls from their mum. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 9000 Communicator (1996)(04 of14)
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Nokia claims that was the 'world's first smartphone'. That might be pushing it - but it certainly pushed the boundaries. It had a full QWERTY keyboard, a 24 MHz i386 CPU, could be used horizontally or vertically, and could send a variety of messages - including faxes. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 5110 (1998) (05 of14)
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The 5510 was one of the first phones with a replaceable cover - and also one of the first to feature Snake. Which, kids, was a game in the olden days which drove. Us. Mad. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 7650 (2002)(06 of14)
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The 7650 was promoted in conjunction with the film Minority Report, but was actually fairly futuristic for its time. Beyond its experimental looks, it came with Nokia's first full colour screen and a built-in camera. This phone made Nokia the largest manufacturer of digital cameras in the world, the company claims. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 7600 (2003) (07 of14)
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The notoriously awkward, and now notoriously awesome 7600 featured a teardrop design, and a fabulously difficult to use interface. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 1100 (2003) (08 of14)
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The 1100 is one of the best-selling consumer devices ever made - 250 million have been shipped worldwide, largely in the developing world, due to its sustainable design, cheap price and built-in flashlight and radio. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia 7280 (2004)(09 of14)
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Alongside the 7600, the 7280 is one of the weirdest phones ever produced. It featured a screen that faded to a mirror when it was inactive and used a Navi-spinner in the place of a keypad. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia N93(10 of14)
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Just look at it.
Nokia 8800 (2005)(11 of14)
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The 8800 was a self-consciously premium device which featured a brushed-metal body, fine-pitch glass and ball-bearings in the slider. You probably weren't able to afford one. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia Lumia 800 (2011)(12 of14)
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The Lumia 800 and 900 are Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 7 devices. They've since shared a gold award from the Industrial Designers Society of America, and are widely seen as - in industrial design at least - among the most beautiful devices currently on sale. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia Lumia 900 (2012)(13 of14)
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The Lumia 800 and 900 are Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 7 devices. They've since shared a gold award from the Industrial Designers Society of America, and are widely seen as - in industrial design at least - among the most beautiful devices currently on sale. (credit:Nokia)
Nokia Asha 306 (2012) (14 of14)
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The Nokia Asha 306 brings a full-touch smartphone experience to emerging markets, and in the spiritual inheritor to the Nokia 1100. (credit:Nokia)