Nokia entered the Windows tablet market in October when it announced the Lumia 2520, a 10.1-inch slate running Windows RT 8.1. Prior to it going on sale, rumors gathered about Nokia’s next tablet project, an 8-inch version of the 2520 tentatively known as the Lumia 2020. Last we heard, from DigiTimes.com in November, it was scheduled for a 2014 launch.
Updated on 12/16/2013 by Andy: If you were looking forward to a small Nokia tablet, then we’ve got some bad news. A report from MyNokiaBlog says the project has been cancelled. Quoting an anonymous, but apparently reliable source, Nokia (and one presumes, Microsoft) executives have decided not to release the Lumia 2020 in early 2014, but no reason why was provided. One could pass it off as yet another casualty of Windows RT, the not-quite-Windows 8.1 operating system which runs on the Lumia 2520, which was also likely to show up on the Lumia 2020. Will the tablet ever see the light of day? We’ve no idea yet, and as this is a rumor about a rumor, neither report should be treated as fact.
The Lumia 2520’s name gives away its screen size, as 25 centimeters is near-as-makes-no-difference, 10-inches. It makes sense for a tablet named the 2020 to have a 20 centimeter screen, which is essentially 8-inches. Smaller tablets have done wonders for Android’s market share, and Microsoft is keen to see if they’ll do the same for Windows. Not that Nokia would have the market to itself, as Lenovo, Toshiba, Dell, and Acer all over Windows slates with sensibly sized 8-inch touchscreens.
This wasn’t the first time we’ve heard about the Lumia 2020, as a few weeks before the DigiTimes report came out, a hint of its existence came from the @evleaks Twitter account, where it was referred to under its Illusionist codename. The message also stated the tablet would be running Windows RT 8.1, just like its big brother.
The Verge chipped in with some anonymously sourced rumors, saying the tablet would use another Qualcomm processor – the ever popular Snapdragon 800 is inside the Lumia 2520 – and be released early next year. DigiTimes narrowed this down to the first three months of 2014, which could mean it would have been down for a possible launch at Mobile World Congress.
Additionally, DigiTimes said we should expect another tablet from Sony next year, along with more mid-range hardware from Huawei and ZTE.
Article originally published on 11/22/2013
