Nokia Lumia tablet with 8-inch display in the works

There's another Nokia tablet in the wings, readied for a release and reveal as early as Q1 of 2014, so says sources close to the matter speaking anonymously. This next-generation will follow along closely with the machine that's being released this fall, that being the Nokia Lumia 2520. Just like what we got a hands-on experience with just this October, the 8-inch table will work with Windows RT – of course it will be pushed with Windows RT 8.1, but it'll be RT all the same. That means an ever-so-slight bit of difference between full Windows 8 and a big difference for those hoping to roll with the full experience.

It's suggested by sources speaking with The Verge that this isn't the only smaller tablet headed to market this next year. These same sources appear to be suggesting that both Nokia and Microsoft – the same company apparently having no effect on device creation – will be pushing around-8-inch tablets to the market in the first part of 2014. The smaller Surface tablet from Microsoft will likely be called a Surface "mini" and will work with a 7.5-inch display.

This release will put Nokia in a place we've only ever seen companies like Samsung enter in in the past, one where a display of seemingly every size is covered. They've go miniature devices working with the simplest of mobile operating systems all the way up to 6-inch phablets with Windows 8.1. And here with the Nokia Lumia 2520 they've got a 10.1-inch tablet, and this fabled 8-inch tablet on the way.

Could this be Microsoft's bid to compete with Android and Apple on every level? One cannot dismiss the idea that Windows 8 and Windows RT haven't made a big grasp for the mid-sized tablet universe just yet. With Nokia a part of Microsoft and both companies wielding the power to quickly create and release devices of all sizes at will, Microsoft may indeed be sending a message to the rest of the tablet-making OEMs out there – we can make one (or two) too!