Microsoft is, at heart, a software company. Sure, they make keyboards and mice, and let’s not forget about the XBOX, but when it comes to devices that run their desktop and mobile operating systems, along with their office suite, Microsoft depends on their hardware partners. According to AllThingsD, those partners are about to get slapped in the face. They say that Microsoft will host an event on Monday in Los Angeles where they’re going to unveil a tablet computer. Said tablet will be a “Microsoft Tablet” in much the same way that the Galaxy Nexus is a “Google Phone”. The report can not confirm whether the tablet will use an Intel chip or an ARM based chip, but if we had to make a bet we’d say it’s going to be the latter, simply because Microsoft sees Metro as the future. What better way to commit to the future than by releasing a tablet that can’t run legacy software?
As we alluded earlier, Microsoft normally depends on their partners, so if they’re going to enter the hardware game with their own tablet, what’s there to stop them from entering the smartphone game? We’ve been covering the rumor that Microsoft is going to buy Nokia for well over half a year. The Finnish handset company currently has a market cap of $8.8 billion. That’s less than what Google paid for Motorola. Will something happen between those two companies in the near future?
Apple has proven to the world that owning both hardware and software is key to becoming a successful company. Google struggles with Android fragmentation, and nearly phone maker who uses Google’s software is struggling to survive. Samsung is the one exception, but that’s because they’re also an incredibly large component manufacturer.
Expect to hear more about this alleged tablet around 15:30 Pacific Time on the 18th.
[Additional Reading: The Wrap]