Nokia Tablet Tipped By CEO On Heels Of Surface

This week the CEO of Nokia Stephen Elop has hinted that they've once again begun considering the possibility of a tablet PC in the near future. This word comes from an interview Elop did with the Australian Financial Review in which he says the company is not announcing a tablet, but is watching the Microsoft Surface tablet specifically to see how the market will respond to Windows 8 in tablet form. Though this is not an official announcement of a tablet being created by Nokia, it does remind us that they've got tablets in mind as a potential future pathway.

This is not the first we've heard of a Nokia tablet in the works. One of the more interesting hints came back in March of 2012 where Nokia design chief Marko Ahtisaari confirmed a tablet with the choice quip, "we are working on it." It was back then that we also saw supply chain sources claiming Nokia would be using Microsoft's Windows RT system (not quite named that back at the time) for its future first tablet delivery. Elop back then also noted that Nokia wouldn't create a tablet until it could bring something unique to the space.

We also saw notes about a Nokia Windows RT tablet in December of 2012 complete with a keyboard cover containing a separate battery for the unit. Here in February of 2013 we've got Elop once again speaking up (with AFR) saying, "we haven't announced tablets at this point, but it is something we are clearly looking at very closely." Elop went on to note that the Nokia is "studying very closely the market right now as Microsoft has introduced the Surface tablet," making it clear that they are "trying to learn from that and understand what the right way to participate would be and at what point in time."

Be sure to read the post Where's Nokia's tablet strategy? from Chris Davies posted all the way back in July of 2012 to see another guide on this situation that holds true to today. It's not just about Windows RT, Windows 8, or even Windows Phone 8 here, it's about Nokia and their lovely Lumia lineup only existing as a smartphone-sized solution. Should Nokia stick to this form for a handheld unit, or does a company with such a massive name need a massive touchscreen offering as well?