Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft is set to grow beyond Windows Phone devices in 2012. In an interview with French-language Les Echos, the head of Nokia France, Paul Amsellem, said that a Windows 8 tablet could be launched as early as June 2012. The timing, if accurate, suggests that Microsoft could have Windows 8 available sooner than many expect.
Amsellem also added that Nokia will soon round out its Windows Phone lineup with both lower- and higher-end devices. “The Lumia 800 is a bit like BMW’s 5 Series. We will soon have a complete range with a 7 Series and a 3 Series,” he said.
Nokia launched its first Windows Phone devices, the Lumia 800 and Lumia 710, last month. Could the rumoured Nokia Ace with its 1.4GHz processor, HSPA+/LTE connectivity and 4.3-inch AMOLED display be one of Nokia’s 7 Series devices? If nothing else, the news bodes well for Nokia’s Windows Phone launch in North America in early 2012.
Read more (in French) [Google translation]