Former mobile phone leader Nokia beat new
rival Apple at its own game late on Tuesday,
revealing a tablet computer and two big-screen
smartphones at an event in Abu Dhabi.
The Finnish company used its first event since
being bought by Microsoft to reveal what chief
executive Stephen Elop called its “first tablet”
and promising it would be more mobile than
others on the market.
Mr Elop’s comments come just hours before
Apple is due to release a refresh of its iPad
range of tablet computers, in an attempt to win
back some of the market share it has lost to
rival companies.
The Nokia 2520 tablet computer, to be released
later this year for $US499 (N79,590.50), will
feature a 10.1-inch screen, 6.7-megapixel
camera, Windows RT 8.1 software and 4G
connectivity.
But Mr Elop said it would be different to other
tablets in the market, as it was designed to be
genuinely portable.
“Tablet use peaks between six and eight in the
morning,” Mr Elop said. “During the rest of the
day tablet usage drops.
“We are looking to shift this traditional trend.
Your tablet should be as mobile as you. Our
approach is to give people a tablet that is
actually mobile.”
Nokia also unveiled two big-screen phones, or
phablets, at the event in the Nokia Lumia 1520
and 1320.
Both Windows Phone handsets will feature six-
inch screens, but the higher end model, the
1520, will also feature a 20-megapixel camera.
It will begin shipping next year at a price of
$US749 (N119465.50).
Nokia Lumia 1520 large-screen phone, or
phablet
Nokia’s announcements beat Apple to the
punch, with the Cupertino company revealing
refreshed iPads at a San Francisco event,
Tuesday.
Research firm IDC recently revealed Apple’s
share of the tablet computer market had almost
halved in the past year, falling from 60 per cent
in the second quarter of last year to just 32 per
cent in the same quarter this year
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