Nokia CEO Stephen Elop explained the reasoning behind his company's decision to go for Windows Phone rather than Android, and it seems Samsung may be to blame.

Once at the top, Nokia saw its market share drop in the smartphone market and eventually decided to ditch its outdated Symbian operating system. In what is still perceived as an odd choice, the Finnish company decided to commit to Microsoft's Windows Phone platform and not Android.

Even today many are still wondering why Nokia never offered an Android smartphone, but now the company's CEO finally reveals why Windows Phone was the platform of choice.

According to The Guardian, Elop explained how Nokia was considering the Android platform, but realized that there was a big risk that "one hardware manufacturer could come to dominate Android." The Nokia CEO did not specifically name Samsung, but it's no secret that the South Korean company dominates the Android market.

In other words, Nokia thought it was better to be a big player on Microsoft's Windows Phone platform than be a little fish in a big Android pond dominated by Samsung. Being able to offer an alternative to Android and iOS is the big advantage this scheme has brought to the table, as Nokia has something different to offer when bargaining with carriers.

While Samsung makes Windows Phone devices as well, Nokia is still the big player here, something it would not have managed with Android. Moreover, in the U.S. it is crucial to have some leverage, something different when bargaining with carriers, as they are the ones who decide which handsets to offer their customers.

Others have tried to keep up with Samsung in the Android market, but to no avail. HTC is perhaps the best example. Although the company has a high-end HTC One smartphone with an elegant metal case and top-notch specs and features, the company still lags far behind Samsung in terms of unit sales.

On the other hand, Nokia saw mixed results when it comes to sales of its Lumia line of smartphones running on Windows Phone. The company would have likely sold more units if its smartphones rocked Android.