The 7-inch tablet industry is stronger than ever, and it doesn't seem like Windows 8 will take long to catch up. A version of Nook Tablet, Barnes & Noble's tablet, with a large 243 PPI screen, that would work with Windows 8 could be announced later this month. It would be the first 7-inch tablet to run Microsoft's operating system.
Most of the tablets we saw at IFA that will run Windows 8 or Windows RT are relatively large , almost always over 10 inches. This is undoubtedly related to the fact that almost all of them are hybrid tablets and to the expected appeal of Windows 8 (and its Office suite) among those who want a device closer to that of a laptop. However, these won't be the only options available if we're looking for a tablet that runs Microsoft's new operating system: a version of the Nook could also incorporate it.
The landscape in the 7-inch tablet sector is now complete. While until now all tablets of this size were Android devices, with the Nexus 7 as the undisputed leader, the new releases of the last few weeks, and those expected in the coming weeks, considerably expand the range of operating systems available. We already have the Kindle Fire HD , which features such a customized version of Android that it could almost be considered Amazon's own operating system, and in October we'll have the highly anticipated iPad Mini , which will bring Apple's iOS operating system to this market. Now we know that, thanks to the Barnes & Noble tablet, we'll soon also have the option of purchasing a smaller tablet running Windows 8, and if the rumors about the high-quality screen that the Nook will have ( with a pixel density of 243 ) are confirmed, it could be a significant competitor.