Nokia is reportedly contemplating a Windows on ARM (WoA) tablet drop in Q4 2012. The veteran smartphone maker -- long expected to make a tablet market entrance -- is said to be looking to upset veteran PC makers like Dell, with an attractive Windows 8 tablet.
Android tablets have either "flopped" or "are a work in progress" depending on who you ask. Sales point to the former distinction.
Opinions aside Apple iPad still commandingly dominates tablet sales, two years after its introduction. With the third-generation HD display-equipped iPad 3 on the way, that situation looks unlikely to change -- for the next few months, at least.
But in Q4 2012, Windows 8 will drop and with it cometh the biggest threat yet to the Apple iPad's dominance.
For those who enjoy technology Windows 8 represents a truly modern tablet experience, expected to have access to a full-fledged Office suite and a truly next generation Metro user interface that makes iOS look like a stodgy Palm Pilot. So what does Nokia's tablet hold inside?
According to Digitimes, Nokia's 10-inch tablet is looking to scale up the chic design aesthetic enjoyed by its Lumia 800 and Lumia 900 Windows Phones. Nokia is contracting Taiwan's Compal Electronics to produce the device, with an initial planned production run of 200,000 units.
Inside lurks a dual-core Qualcomm ARM-architecture system-on-a-chip, likely one of the SnapDragon 4 variants. The only disappointment here is that this means no Flash -- for now. The future of Flash on Windows 8 ARM devices is uncertain, with Microsoft saying no to Internet Explorer 10 plugins -- for now. Microsoft -- like Apple -- is going the HTML5 route, a route that has thus far disappointed in terms of real-world battery life performance, despite big promises.
While Dell is expected to heavily target business customers with its Windows 8 tablets, Nokia is reportedly primarily looking to push consumer sales. Will consumers agree that Microsoft and its close partner Nokia are ready for primetime? We may soon find out.
