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Topic: Hardware

Nokia "working on" tablet; expect Windows 8 support

Summary: Nokia's design chief says the smartphone giant is "working on" a tablet. Knowing Nokia, it will likely be a Windows 8 powered device.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Nokia is expected to bring out a Windows 8 powered tablet later this year, corroborating earlier reports that the phone giant would release a tablet this year.

Nokia's design chief Marko Ahtisaari was quoted as saying: "We're working on it," in response to questions over the company's plans to develop a slate-like device for the consumer and business market, reports Reuters.

Earlier this week, Digitimes said it expects a 10-inch Windows 8-based tablet by the fourth-quarter at the latest, according to sources upstream in the manufacturing process. The device would be 'WoA', or "Windows on ARM", giving the device a competitive edge in the already well-established tablet market.

Most other notebook makers like Dell and HP have already announced their efforts to support Windows 8 on laptops and tablets.

But the move was not unexpected, as Microsoft and Nokia continue to do --- quite frankly, terribly --- in the smartphone space as part of its Nokia hardware and Windows Phone 7 plan.

The partnership was seen as Nokia's gasping for air as it slowly sunk, as the iPhone and Android market slowly gobbles up what is left of Nokia's once strong market share. It just goes to show that while Nokia is not dead yet, looking back at how the company has done in the Windows-powered smartphones space already, one is keen to add emphasis on the word: "yet".

A Nokia spokesperson noted the company "continues to eye" the tablet market, but had no news on announcements at the time.

Image source: Microsoft/CNET.

Related:

Topics: Hardware, Laptops, Microsoft, Mobility, Nokia, Operating Systems, Software, Tablets, Windows

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28 comments
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  • ha...

    You mean in the US? Where nokia phones were released about a month ago if that? And you are reporting to stats from January?

    Pathetic journalism....
    danjames2012
    Reply Vote

    • That's right

      Defend the Hive! If anyone questions the man behind the curtain, immediately insult them. Never let facts, enter the equation.
      Jumpin Jack Flash
      Reply Vote

      • hmmm

        I'm not defending anything? He just said that Nokia's efforts have been a flop, then linked to stats that are completley irrelivent to Nokia as they were not even present in the market during the reporting period...

        Maybe you just lack the common sense to see what i pointed out, i don't know. However i will happily agree the other OEM's have failed with WP7, however Nokia's impact is yet to be seen.
        danjames2012
        Reply Vote

    • ha...

      Ditto, zero facts to back up the claim. Probably an Apple phanboi.
      Rob.sharp
      Reply Vote

  • Nokia is doing well in Europe

    Nokia's Lumia range is doing rather well in Europe! Market share is climbing quite fast and demand is high for the cool and desirable handsets.

    What this shows is that hardware design makes a huge difference. WP7 is a delight to use on any handset, but couple it with a gorgeous handset and you have a winner. Nokia has brought something to WP7 that the other manufacturers so far have failed - desirability.
    wp7mango
    Reply Vote

    • Most people are buying because of the Nokia name

      Unfortunately, most people at least in Europe are buying these phones because of the Nokia name and the expectation of superior PHONE features, such as good reception, good call quality etc. Which is.. not the thing with smartphones anyway.

      Been a long time Nokia user. In fact, my phone has always been Nokia even since they started producing GSM phones. But.. after they married Microsoft I gave up.
      danbi
      Reply Vote

      • Most people are buying Nokia because of the stunning design

        For me it was the other way round. I never had a Nokia phone before, but I do have a Samsung Omnia 7 which runs Windows Phone 7. My next phone will be a Nokia Lumia 800 or 900 because I think the design is stunning and the Microsoft WP7 Mango operating system is fast, fluid and elegant, with nicely integrated services.
        wp7mango
        Reply Vote

      • How do you know that?

        How do you know why most people are buyng Nokia phones? Did you conduct a study?

        Regardless, I'm sure Nokia is disappointed in losing your business; however, there are other people (people I know) who are considering Nokia's new phones for, both, the hardware and the Windows OS.

        The reality is that Nokia had little choice, but to ditch Symbian. Their options were either Android or Windows. They decided to go with Windows (for various reasons). We'll have to wait and see if their gamble pays off. Unlike the author of this article, I think it's too early to call the Nokia/Windows collaboration a flop.
        metromalenyc
        Reply Vote

      • You do realize...

        ??? that is part of the reason MS went with Nokia? Their global mindshare.
        wyn6
        Reply Vote

      • Oh, yeah.. Windows

        Lots of fanboys here, eh?

        Not only Nokia HAS chance with Symbian, but their better phones are not coming with Windows. Plus, Symbian got an upgrade recently. So no, Nokia has not ditched Symbian and will no doubt keep it just to be safe.

        Anyway, Nokia are good at selling PHONES. Their experiment with Microsoft was to verify whether the claims that Windows will sell more phones is true. My observation (didn't do scientific level research, so not going to publish numbers) shows that most Nokia users would rather prefer an Symbian phone, than a Windows phone. This in Europe, of course. As far as I understand, Nokia simply does not sell most of their products in the US.

        @ wyn6: of course, I do! This is the base of my assumption, that sooner or later, Nokia will junk WP. Or restrict it to the US market, where they don't sell their better phones anyway.
        danbi
        Reply Vote

      • Most people are buying Nokia because of good hardware

        Have stopped using Nokia years ago because I got burned by buggy Symbian OS. But since I wanted to try out WP7.5 for the first time, wanted a Nokia Windows phone. Unfortunately couldn't wait anymore for the arrival of the Lumias so decided to go for the HTC Radar. Love the Radar but my next phone will definitely be an Apollo Nokia Lumia device!
        petin_y@...
        Reply Vote

  • What?!

    [ul][i]WOA... giving the device a competitive edge[/i][/ul]If you had said the device was going to be Windows 8 on x86, and -that- was going to be a competitive edge, I would have happily nodded along. But without the x86 software base, WOA is just Windows Phone on a big screen. How is that a competitive edge? As you said yourself, WP is doing terribly.
    Robert Hahn
    Reply Vote

    • WP7 is doing well in Europe

      Nokia and WP7 are doing well in Europe - it's not a flop at all and market share has been growing steadily since Nokia arrived on the scene. In the USA it's a different story, but then again Nokia has not had a full quarter in the USA yet.
      wp7mango
      Reply Vote

  • Nokia sales in Europe good - Rubbish

    >WP7 is doing well in Europe
    >wp7mango 32 minutes ago
    >
    >Nokia and WP7 are doing well in Europe - it's not a flop at all and market share has been growing steadily since Nokia arrived on the scene. In the USA it's a different story, but then again Nokia has... Read Whole Comment +

    If by steadily growing you mean "1 sold, 2 sold, ooo 3 sold. wow that's 4 today so far". That about the sum of it. They have shipped to date from launch up to 2m Lumia phones to retailers, but the figures about sales to end users are not released, same sort of obfuscation Microsoft did with WP7 phone sales.

    Apple sold more than that in Europe in the iPhone 4S first weekend.

    I the UK, I don't know anyone with a Windows Phone 7 Phone, never mind a Nokia one. 'In the hand' for smartphones, people have iPhones, Android Phones (mostly Samsung), and Blackberries. No WP7 phones to be seen........

    -

    Nokia Tablet - This is a 'no shit Sherlock moment", as Nokia have been selling tabs for ages like the N810.

    https://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=nokia+tablet&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1285&bih=680&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15682781037644817798&sa=X&ei=pv9hT-zHC8mXhQf1iN2uCA&ved=0CGcQ8wIwBA
    neil.postlethwaite@...
    Reply Vote

    • how strange....

      My company bought 2 Lumia in this week for testing and I personally know several people with Windows Phone 7 handsets. The Lumia is also a very nice phone in its own right, so I think anyone who is not just looking for an iPhone will be happy enough to go that route.
      12312332123
      Reply Vote

      • That is so cool

        Wow, you bought two units yourself and you personally know several others who also bought units.
        Robert Hahn
        Reply Vote

      • @ Bobby Hahn

        Whatever...
        12312332123
        Reply Vote

    • Research

      Just Bing or Google "Nokia Lumia sells out..." See what you come up with. Outside of the U.S. and UK people are actually clamoring for these phones. However, from what I've read, the Lumias have had decent sales in the UK as well.

      Here in the US I've seen a number of WPs. There are at least ten where I work and 2 or 3 other people who want or wanted one.
      wyn6
      Reply Vote

      • Doesn't sound like much

        Considering I see Android and iPhones everywhere.

        You sure you didn't run an ad in the paper to find those 10 or 12 folks?
        ScorpioBlack
        Reply Vote

  • Ah, Nokia, you really do like digging your own grave....

    First, WP7 is not doing well in Europe, but in Scandinavian countries, if you look at the other best sellers in those countries, you'd understand why. Symbian phones are still best sellers there, as it's traditionally been a Nokia stronghold.

    Now, on to the main point, Windows 8 is destined to fail and Nokia will be another casualty - http://www.tech-thoughts.net/2012/02/windows-8-will-it-succeed.html
    sameer_singh17
    Reply Vote
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