The Lumia 920 smartphone may not be the only Windows-based device Nokia will soon release. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop says the company is looking “very closely” at making a Windows 8 tablet.
At a company event in New York this week, Elop pointed out the “real opportunity” in making a Nokia tablet. Tablets are among the fastest-growing technologies in history, and a Nokia tablet would increase the company’s reach globally beyond just smartphones. Because the tablet is “a natural companion to smartphones,” it just makes sense for Nokia to jump into that space.
Windows 8 also provides a unified user experience across every type of computing device—smartphones, tablets, and PCs. Developers may be more likely to develop for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 because of the shared underlying code between the two platforms.
Nokia has talked about making a Windows tablet before. Last November, an exec from the company’s French division stated in an interview that a Windows 8 tablet was coming in June 2012. Obviously that hasn’t happened; Windows 8 isn’t actually launching until the end of October.
This wouldn’t be Nokia’s first foray into tablets, either. Back in 2005, Nokia offered the Linux-based Nokia 770 Internet Tablet; however, this before-its-time tablet lacked the apps and functionality of today’s tablets.
Previous rumors claimed Nokia’s Windows 8 tablet would launch as early as Q4 2012 with a 10-inch display and dual-core ARM processor. So maybe we’ll see the tablet when Windows 8 launches next month?
Unfortunately, the company is keeping mum on whether any tablets are actually in development. Elop’s remark that the company is “looking at” the opportunity is purposely vague and seemingly indecisive. Perhaps the company’s partnership with Microsoft, which is releasing its own Surface tablets this year, is a factor. Or perhaps the company is taking a wait-and-see approach to Windows 8 on a tablet and doesn’t want to deflect the spotlight from the Lumia 920—arguably one of the most compelling Windows Phone 8 devices announced so far.
A larger version of the Lumia 920 would be a very interesting addition to the tablet landscape. Imagine a Windows 8 tablet with a high-res, glare-minimizing display (that can be used with regular gloves), wireless charging, smart photo processing, and a killer camera. If Nokia adds a memory card slot and, most importantly, prices any theoretical tablet competitively, the company could have a winner on its hands.
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