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Stephen Elop interview: Nokia can compete with Surface

Stephen Elop interview: Nokia can compete with Surface

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Microsoft's tablets aren't an insurmountable obstacle to a Nokia alternative

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Stephen Elop interview_stock
Stephen Elop interview_stock

For all the speculation surrounding Nokia's MWC plans, the eventual launches from the Finnish company this morning proved somewhat underwhelming. High-end features like wireless charging and a super-sensitive touchscreen were trickled down into lower price ranges with the Lumia 520 and 720, but there was no new hero device, no translation of the 808 PureView's 41-megapixel camera into the Windows Phone realm, and no tablet.

We've been eagerly awaiting Nokia's entry into the highly competitive tablet space since way back in 2011 — when Stephen Elop confessed it has great potential and is of great interest to Nokia — but today the company's CEO remained demure on the subject of actually releasing such a product anytime soon. He told us that Nokia is "monitoring the dynamics" of this developing market, with an obvious curiosity about what Microsoft has done with Surface, but insisted that Nokia still has enough unique strengths and advantages to deliver a competitive tablet.

How long can Nokia keep talking up the potential of the tablet form factor without actually wading into it?

While it's hard to know how long Nokia can keep talking about the possibilities of the tablet form factor without actually wading into it, the company is at least taking a proactive approach to fleshing out the rest of its device portfolio. Its smartphones are now more numerous, its mobile business now includes a €15 option with weeks-long battery life and a flashlight, and the inevitable refresh of the popular Asha line was also duly executed.

An unspectacular set of announcements may not gain Nokia too many headlines, but maybe it's just what the company needs right now. And as to the future? Elop remained characteristically evasive, while promising to keep things "exciting."