14 DAY TRIAL // The partnership between Microsoft and Nokia is expected to get to a new level next year, as the Finnish mobile phone maker might launch its first tablet PC running under the Windows 8 platform.
The vendor has been long rumored to plan the release of such a device, and recent reports suggest nothing different, although nothing was officially confirmed on the matter.
In fact, Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop has just stated during an interview with Finnish broadcaster YLE that the company does not have a concrete plan for a tablet PC at the moment.
"Nokia does not have an exact plan, but we are studying the markets carefully. Perhaps we will come [to market] one day," Elop reportedly said.
This comes over half a year after he said in another televised interview on YLE that the company was prospecting the tablet market.
New rumors suggest that a Nokia tablet PC would be very real, and that the device is expected to arrive on shelves as soon as next summer, with the said Windows 8 platform on board. The device is expected to land at Nokia Connection 2012.
Last month, Microsoft and Nokia were rumored to plan launching a Windows 8 tablet in mid-2012, when the new operating system from Microsoft is officially released, a move that would make sense from a variety of angles.
First of all, it would make a lot of sense for Microsoft to try to have Windows 8 devices available at launch, especially since the new platform release comes with enhancements aimed at tablet PCs.
The Samsung developed tablet showcased at BUILD might be pushed on shelves at that time, but there is also the need for diversity, and the Finnish handset vendor would certainly fit the bill.
Not to mention that Nokia’s rivals have all entered the tablet market, and the Finnish giant does need to make this move as soon as possible, if it pans on being relevant in this segment.
The company is also expected to try to get the most out of its partnership with Microsoft, and the release of a Windows 8 tablet PC will easily prove beneficial for both parties.
There are many enthusiasts waiting for a Nokia tablet to arrive, and its pairing with Windows 8 will represent a great start for the platform.
It will have to battle an army of Android slates, as well as Apple’s iPad, but it could easily take off to a great start, since it will bring along an important feature, novelty, and will have a large base of Windows users to target.
However, to ensure that, Nokia and Microsoft will have to work closely to ensure that users receive a great experience from the device, and that the launch will take place in mid-2012, and not months later, otherwise the device could easily end up just like RIM’s PlayBook, dragging the Windows 8 OS down with it as well.