Nokia's (NOK) Tablet Platform May Not be Microsoft (MSFT)

While Nokia (NYSE:NOK) has made its decision to use Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone 7 for its smartphone strategy over the long term, that's not the case at this time concerning its entry into the tablet computer market, with their existing MeeGo platform, which they developed together with Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), still being in play, said an person aware of the situation.

The source said the cellphone maker is still taking into consideration its options for tablets and these include MeeGo, a platform Nokia has been jointly developing with Intel.

This isn't to say Microsoft isn't still in the race for the device, but that the final decision has yet to be made, and Nokia isn't in a hurry to force it, saying they want to get their first tablet right.

Even though some say Nokia and others like Samsung, Motorola (NYSE:MMI) and Research in Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) are late to the tablet game, that's nonsense, as the tablet wars are just heating up, and it appears it's going to be a long, drawn-out battle, with a lot of room for growth outside of the leader Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL).

For Microsoft, a tablet platform will be based on its upcoming Windows 8 PC operating system, rather than its Windows Phone software, and that's not due to be released until the latter part of 2012. Could it be that Nokia may release a Meego version first and then implement a Microsoft version later to see which takes hold better? Only time will tell.

Nokia was trading at $8.35, gaining $0.07, or 0.91 percent, as of 1:44PM EDT.