Microsoft Will Launch Tablet with Barnes & Noble

Microsoft’s upcoming media event, which is planned for tomorrow, has many expectations about what the tech titan is going to reveal. According to some reports, Microsoft is likely to launch a new tablet to vigorously compete Apple’s iPad.

While looking at Microsoft’s previous “major” media events, it is observed that the software giant has always come up with specific product group branding like Windows Phone, Xbox and Window.

According to reliable sources, Microsoft will probably introduce a tablet and this new product is being developed in collaboration with Barnes & Noble with loads of entertainment options in it. It is also expected that the tablet might have the capability of Xbox streaming.

Back in April, both companies made a “strategic partnership” to challenge Amazon and Apple in the market for e-Books. Microsoft made a $300 million investment in the Barnes & Noble subsidiary that includes 82.4% equity stake for Barnes & Noble and Microsoft owned 17.6%. In exchange, Barnes & Noble will integrate its Nook digital bookstore in Windows 8, which is expected to launch this year.

The sources also said that a new Microsoft tablet will likely challenge Amazon’s Kindle Fire instead of Apple’s tablet. Undoubtedly, Amazon’s tablet is widely accepted in the e-reading sector but its modified version of Android operating system is not as useful for web surfing. However, the two booksellers are considered to be big rivals for a long time.

This would be the first event in which the two companies will reveal what they are working on since they haven’t made anything public yet and the joint operation’s name is yet to be determined.

According to another reliable source, the new product is “Microsoft-manufactured tablet,” and it would “put the company in direct competition with giant rival Apple.”

The event will start at 10 AM tomorrow but Microsoft hasn’t announced the venue yet.