Nokia Vs Microsoft: Did Nokia Almost Beat Microsoft to the Punch?

Nokia Vs Microsoft: It is no surprise to most that Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) is interested in getting involved in the tablet space. After all, this is a market that has a lot of room for growth over the next few years. While the competition may be fierce, as Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has found out, it appears that the company is going to forge ahead with its plans.

According to a report by The Verge, Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) was actually working on a “kickstand-equipped tablet” before Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) came out with its Surface lineup.

For more information on this, we don’t have to look any further than the official patent application found here.

Here is some information from the abstract of the patent:

“An apparatus including a first section having a display; and a second section movably connected to the first section. The second section forms a cover for the display. The cover has a first portion and a second portion movably connected to the first portion. The first and second portions are configured to cover different portions of a front of the display. The second portion is pivotably connected to the first section by the first portion. The second portion has a keyboard thereon.”

As you will see as you review the Nokia patent, it was first filed for in October of 2011.

With all this in mind, you have to wonder if Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) had plans to release its tablet earlier or if they simply don’t care that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) came was first to market with this sort of design.

At this point, there is no information on when or if Nokia is going to release its tablet. Many people this is coming soon, but the company has been quiet on all fronts. While there are rumors that the company is working on a Windows 8 tablet, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that this is coming to market anytime in the near future.

With all this in mind, it will be interesting to see if Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) follows in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s footsteps with a kickstand-equipped tablet. As you know, Microsoft has struggled to gain traction with its tablets.

Here’s what our friends at CNBC had to say about Nokia’s mobile potential: