Nokia offered 'incredible amounts of money' to back Windows Phone says Intel's Paul Otellini

It hasn't taken long for what was originally billed as Intel's apparent disappointment regarding Nokia's strategic partnership to turn into plain sniping.

Speaking during a meeting with analysts in London, Reuters claims Intel CEO Paul Otellini claimed that the Finnish firm's decision to back Windows Phone was not a sound business decision.

Instead, it was a move motivated by the promise of money.

According to the report, Otellini alleged that Nokia CEO Stephen Elop had received "incredible offers - money" from both Google and Microsoft to support their respective platforms.

"I wouldn't have made the decision he made," Otellini said.

"I would probably have gone to Android if I were him. MeeGo would have been the best strategy but he concluded he couldn't afford it."

Otellini's preference for Android might well be related to the fact that he currently serves on Google's board of directors.

With MeeGo's base in Linux, it's also arguable that Intel would have been more comfortable with handsets running the OS co-existing with Android devices.

Either way, despite what would appear to be a general retraction of support by Nokia for the platform it helped to create - one Nokia branded MeeGo device expected to launch in 2011 - Intel isn't giving up on the OS.

"We will find another partner," Otellini continued.

"The carriers still want a third ecosystem and the carriers want an open ecosystem, and that's the thing that drives our motivation."

[source: Reuters]