Major Microsoft/Nokia announcement including Lumia tablets and phablets overshadowed by Apple

Nokia and Microsoft have announced a range of new smartphones and tablets running on the Windows RT8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, with the announcement completely overshadowed by Apple unveiling its new iPad Air tablet.

The key device unveiled by the smartphone giant in Abu Dhabi is a new tablet powered by Windows RT 8.1, the Lumia 2520, which will go head-to-head with Microsoft’s own consumer-targeted Surface RT tablet.

The 10.1-inch device includes both 4G and WiFi connectivity, a 6.7-megapixel camera, Microsoft Office and Outlook preinstalled, and the Nokia Power keyboard as an accessory.

“The Lumia 2520 also comes with a number of unique software experiences that are exclusive to the Lumia family, including the exclusive ‘Dragons Adventure’ interactive game developed in partnership with DreamWorks Animation,” Nokia says in a statement.

Available in red, white, cyan and black, the device will have an outright recommended retail price in the US of $US499.

Nokia also unveiled two new 6-inch phablets, the Lumia 1520 and 1320.

The high-end Lumia 1520 includes a 20-megapixel PureView camera and a higher resolution 1080p full HD display, while the display on the 1320 is only 720 p.

The 1520 will have an outright price in the US of $US749, but Australian consumers will miss out on the initial launch, which will see the device available in Hong Kong, Singapore, U.S., China, U.K., France, Germany, Finland and other European markets.

“A new third column of tiles on the home screen means people can see and do more on a larger screen. Bringing larger displays to the award-winning Lumia design, the new format is coupled with some of the most advanced camera innovations so people can capture and share the world around them,” Nokia says in a statement.

The company also unveiled a range of low-end Asha smartphones in anticipation of mounting competition from devices running Mozilla’s Firefox OS.