Nokia (NOK) may soon go beyond its smartphone comfort zone by releasing a tablet PC and possibly a laptop, CEO Stephen Elop told ABC News. Specifically, Elop said that while “we have not announced any tablets… the opportunity is very clear” since Nokia customers are “increasingly are looking for a common digital experience between their smartphone and tablet, with a PC.”
Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft (MSFT) could help the phone manufacturer seamlessly integrate its Windows Phone 8 handsets with a future Windows 8 tablet. Elop believes that because the two operating systems are built on the same software, it will encourage developers to write applications for both platforms. Earlier reports have claimed that Nokia was prepping a 10-inch Windows 8 tablet with a dual-core processor that would compete with offerings from Samsung (005930), HP (HPQ) and Toshiba (TOSBF).
