WSJ: Windows 8 ThinkPad on the horizon?

The Wall Street Journal reports that Lenovo®, the world's second largest PC maker, may have plans in the works to develop a new enterprise-friendly ThinkPad® tablet computer based on the upcoming Windows® 8 operating system.

The tablet has not yet been officially announced, but citing comments made by Lenovo product group president Peter Hortensius in an interview with CIO Journal, the Wall Street Journal reports the new ThinkPad could be available in the next 12 months.

According to the report, the Windows 8 ThinkPad would likely be similar to the IdeaPad® Yoga, a consumer-focused tablet/laptop hybrid introduced by Lenovo in January 2012. This would suggest that the new ThinkPad could be less of a tablet and more in the Ultrabook™ range.

The news provider notes this wouldn't be Lenovo's first go at a Windows-based tablet. However, earlier tablet versions of Windows were limited in functionality and never really got off the ground. With Windows 8, scheduled for release later this year, Microsoft® aims to change that, introducing a new touch-friendly interface dubbed Metro, which has generated a lot of buzz since it was first announced.

Though they haven't been confirmed, these rumors may align with Lenovo's recent announcement to invest nearly $800 million in a new facility in China in order to expand its mobile technology portfolio.