Stephen Elop Hints A Tablet Might Be In Works: Can Nokia Challenge Tablet Market Dominators?

The Finnish phone manufacturer has been in the news for quite a while for its plans to launch a Windows 8 tablet. Last year, Nokia design chief, Marko Ahtisaari reportedly confirmed in an interview with Finnish magazine Kauppalehti Optio that he had been supposedly spending one-third of his time on the creation of a tablet. And now reports are in, that Stephen Elop, the company CEO hinted in an interview to Australian Financial Review that Nokia might soon be entering into the tablet market.

The report quotes Elop stating, "We haven't announced tablets at this point, but it is something we are clearly looking at very closely...We are studying very closely the market right now as Microsoft has introduced the Surface tablet, so we are trying to learn from that and understand what the right way to participate would be and at what point in time."

More tablet images....

Windows RT or Android OS?

Well, obviously Windows based tablet! A Windows tablet would be logical choice given Nokia's relationship with Microsoft and the its time spent on ramping up its Windows Phone Lumia devices. However, as per the report, Elop was careful enough not to winnow out the other major alternative - Android OS.

"We would consider any option (Windows or Android)... It is important to note that the opportunity for companionship is something that any user is looking for. 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. But we have made no decision or announced nothing, " quoted the report.

Well, this is not the first time that Nokia has dropped hints about a Windows tablet. In October 2011, Elop teased the idea of a Windows tablet and in November 2011, the head of Nokia in France claimed that the company would have a Windows 8 tablet on the market by June 2012. However, so far, it has been only talks and there has been no tangible device from Nokia.

What About Specs?

As per earlier rumors, Nokia will be launching a 10.1 inch Windows RT tablet with cellular connectivity options including HDMI and USB ports. Also it is expected that the tablet will be paired with a detachable keyboard and the upcoming tablet will offer over 10 hours of battery backup. Further, Nokia will initially launch the tablet in the U.S. market in Q1 2013 via AT&T, the country's popular carrier.

With the launch of this device, Nokia might be building its own production line of the tablet PCs to rival Windows 8 tablet offerings by other companies including Lenovo, Dell, Asus and also Microsoft.

Considerably, it seems like Nokia has already contrived to break the cult and become the maiden brand of all and deliver the best Windows 8 offerings to the consumers across the globe. Let us know in comments below, what do you think? Will Nokia's upcoming tablet offering will be able to outcompete the other tablet players in the market?