There have been rumors of Nokia entering the tablet market, and after their partnership with Microsoft for Windows Phone 8 it wouldn't be a surprise if it was a Windows 8 Tablet. Now, a recent article reports that they have filed a patent for an "Apparatus Cover with Keyboard", which in my opinion looks remarkably similar to the Microsoft Surface.
Article and pictures:
http://www.themobileindian.com/news/11667_Nokia-Patent-reveals-a-tablet-with-attached-keyboard-cover
It does seem pretty cool though. With patents like these, I ask myself, what new innovations does this bring to the market? In this case, it seems that Nokia's killer selling point is the fact that the screen and keyboard can slide, fold, and twist into multiple different formations. Additionally, it seems that they can separate from each other, and be used individually as just an ordinary screen / keyboard.
This is all very cool, but I must say, it just seems way too similar to Microsoft's Surface tablet, but less refined. The folded screen stand isn't as sleek as the Surface's kickstand, and the keyboard doesn't seem as thin or agile as the Surface's touch-cover. Nokia has been declining, and this looks like it'll be just another one of their too-little-too-late products.
Nokia is failing rapidly and there stock has fallen by over 12%. They are trying to pivot in any direction to turn a profit. They made $653 on patent licensing because there production of cellular devices has heavily fallen and they are searching for alternative business models.
ReplyDeletere jordan, i was just wondering if it is possible for a company to largely depend on royalties / patent litigation as a way to make money. companies get smarter, the system slowly refines and technology advances. what do they have left if they don't actually spend some K in R&D?
ReplyDeleteMy intuition is that relying on royalties and patent litigation can never be a real business model because it is so short term. Companies need to continually invest in R&D, and good R&D models depend on real interaction with the market to get good data and relevant results. I don't think Nokia has a strong case for patenting an apparatus case with a keyboard, it just seems like too many companies have already thought of something like this.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of inovation coming to these tablets and right now it seems to be a competition of who can be more creative and make a "cool" product. in my opinion making a simple and useful product is better such as what Apple has done with al their products.
ReplyDeleteIf the patent is granted, it seems that Nokia might just use it to turn around and sue other tablet manufacturers, given their recent track history of relying on litigation damages for revenue rather than product sales. The product does bear a striking resemblance to the Microsoft Surface, as you highlighted; it'll be interesting to see what tablet-related products Nokia comes out with, and in what segment of the market they aim to compete in.
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