Nokia: Meego Still an Option for Tablets
When Nokia and Microsoft first announced their mobile alliance back in February, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop was quick to stress that it didn’t include tablets. “Our relationship with Microsoft doesn’t encompass tablet specifics but it does create an interesting opportunity,” he said. “We could–and it hasn’t been decided–we could introduce a Windows tablet. We could do tablets internally or we could choose to do something else.”
Two months later, that position hasn’t changed much. Sources close to Nokia tell me–and Reuters, as well–that the company still hasn’t settled on a tablet platform. “They’re keeping their options open,” the source said, adding that Meego–the mobile OS that Nokia developed jointly with Intel–hasn’t been ruled out as one of those options.
It seems then that Nokia’s commitment to MeeGo may not be quite as tenuous as previously thought, despite its decision to refocus its mobile efforts around Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. And that’s welcome news for Intel, which has vowed repeatedly to push ahead with the platform, whether it’s with Nokia or someone else.
Intel hasn’t yet responded to a request for comment, but Nokia confirmed its tablet strategy hasn’t yet been finalized. “We have stated previously that MeeGo provides us with options on tablets,” a spokesperson told me. “Windows Phone also provides us with options, as does our broader relationship with Microsoft. Our CTO will be exploring platforms and technologies to determine Nokia’s possible future tablet strategy.”
[Image credit: My Nokia Blog]