Nokia Wants to Make a Windows 8 Tablet
Nokia will almost certainly launch its first modern tablet later this year, and the latest quotes from CEO Stephen Elop confirms it.
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop told reporters in Sydney, Australia, yesterday that the company is looking “very closely” at tablets but has yet to announce anything official, according to the Australian Financial Review.
Elop also dangled the possibility of an Android tablet, saying that there were benefits to the 7-inch screen size made popular by Android devices. When reporters asked whether Nokia would go Windows or Android, the CEO gave the nod to Windows. But a PR executive reminded him that no official decision has yet to be made, AFR revealed.
“It is important to note that the opportunity for companionship is something that any user is looking for,” Elop said. “So, when you think about the Lumia 920, running on Windows phone, having a Windows tablet or PC or Xbox is something that will give us the opportunity to have a pretty integrated experience. Our first focus on what we look at is clearly in the Microsoft side.”
This isn’t the first time that Nokia has dropped hints about a Windows tablet. In an October 2011 interview with the Financial Times, Elop teased the idea of a Windows tablet, pointing to a “clear synergy” with the Nokia Lumia environment running on tablets and PCs in the future.
And in November of 2011, the head of Nokia in France claimed that the company would have a Windows 8 tablet on the market by June 2012.
So far, it’s been all talk and no tangible product. But a Nokia Windows tablet could be much closer than Elop is letting on.
Recent rumors suggest the company will launch a Windows RT tablet early this year. If the reports are true, the 10.1-inch tablet would come with a special keyboard cover equipped with its own battery. Carried by AT&T, the device would also offer a cellular connection along with HDMI and USB ports.