Nokia Eyes Q1 2013 Release for its 10.1-inch Windows RT Tablet
Its confidence partly boosted by the good showing so far of the Lumia 920, Nokia is aiming to break new grounds by jumping into the global tablet competition, currently the turf that follows the dictates of iOS and Android devices.
As expected, Nokia's tablet take will run on the Windows RT platform, according to reports by Zacks Equity Research, and will likely offer cellular connectivity plus HDMI and USB ports.
The planned Nokia 10.1-inch tablet is said to be paired with a detachable keyboard and will delight consumers with around 10 hours of battery time, Zacks Equity added on its report.
To ensure a successful run on its U.S. debut in Q1 2013, this Windows slate from the Finnish firm will be distributed by AT&T. Being the biggest carrier on that part of the world, Nokia is at least assured of a large tract of audience, analysts said.
What's left for the company to do is to make an offer that U.S. consumers would find hard to refuse. Tossing its planned tablet at low price levels will definitely allow Nokia to gradually carve a place in the tablet world, analysts said.
Nokia should study the Microsoft Surface tablet model, which experts have lauded for its productivity functions. However, consumers tend to shun the new Windows tablet, seemingly refusing to pay premium price for a device that requires some learning curves.
If the company is indeed serious on making a dent in the tablet market, picking up on the success of the Lumia 920 is a good start, blog reports said.
Should this latest Nokia move prove a hit, then the company is likely to dampen renewed speculations that it will change ownership in 2013, with Microsoft and Chinese tech giant Huawei as possible buyers.
Citing reports from regular Forbes contributor Tristan Louis, BGR News reported on Wednesday that Nokia would relinquish its phone and telecom businesses "in order to focus on software and services."
Mr Louis offered that Nokia's partnership with Microsoft is not exactly the success that the company had envisioned, adding that possibly in the months ahead the struggling company will revisit the long-swirling speculation that Microsoft is keen to takeover one part of its hardware operations.
"(Nokia) will eventually sell its smartphone group to Microsoft and the rest of its telecom interests to Huawei," Mr Louis reportedly wrote.
Nokia, however, is consistently dismissive of the rumours and insistent that it will remain an active player in the mobile device industry. Getting out anytime soon is not an option for the firm, said BGR News.