Nokia to hold MWC press event on February 25, could a Windows tablet be the headline release?

Nokia has invited members of the press to an event at Mobile World Congress, where it’s possible the company will debut its first Windows RT tablet, along with at least one new entry into its range of Windows Phone 8 smartphones.

Nokia has announced it will be holding a press conference at Mobile World Congress late next month, and to prove it means business, it’s scheduled for 9am on February 25 – that’s about as early as they dare on the very first day of the mobile trade show. Nokia’s invitation is a bit strange though, as it shows a woman clutching a fork, with the words At Home in Barcelona printed in bold type next to it. We’re used to press invites giving nothing away, but this one is especially cryptic.

If there is anything to be read into the invitation, it’s the use of, “At Home,” a phrase which doesn’t scream smartphones, which would be better described by saying, “Out and About in Barcelona.” Instead, this could refer to a device we more commonly use at home – a tablet, for instance. If the rumors are to be believed, Nokia is busily working on a tablet running Microsoft’s Windows RT platform, and a Mobile World Congress launch has always been on the cards.

Tablet aside, Nokia has also been linked with a series on new Windows Phone 8 smartphones, including the Catwalk and the EOS, both codenames referring to the Lumia 920’s replacement and what has been described as a true PureView Windows Phone. However, as the Lumia 920 only went on sale in November last year, surely Nokia isn’t about to release its replacement? We’d say the Catwalk is a better candidate for Nokia World towards the end of the year.

The EOS is a better bet, as last year’s Mobile World Congress played host to the 808 PureView. While the Lumia 920’s camera is excellent, we’ve yet to see a true follow-up to the 808 PureView, and as Symbian has finally been laid to rest, this seems like a good opportunity.

As Mobile World Congress takes place in Barcelona, Spain, the 9am start time converts over to 3am Eastern Time for those in the USA. Don’t worry though, we’ll be at the show to bring you all the news if you don’t want to wait up.