HP to get back into the mobile space with Android?
When HP bought Palm in 2010 it was uncertain which direction the company would take. At that time, Palm was still trying to bank on its WebOS platform and it had just launched the TouchPad. As fine as that device was — especially for those of us who like tinkering with these things — it didn’t do enough to help save the company, or WebOS. HP ended up trashing the OS, though, and it saddled the employees who didn’t leave up into a subsidiary named Gram.
Welp, here we are — nearly three years later — and the computer vendor might finally be looking to jump back into the game in a proper way. Sources speaking to ReadWrite have apparently confirmed that HP will build tablets and smartphones.
We imagine HP will attempt to start out in emerging markets to test the waters, but the company could eventually branch out with a full-blown line down the road. HP would look to do this with Android at the helm, apparently — a fine choice if we don’t say so ourselves. The company would also employ NVIDIA’s Tegra platform.
HP says it would be foolish of them to stay in the past when the computing industry is evolving as quickly as it is. Traditional laptop and desktop computers are fine, but the industry is clearly fine with letting tablets and smartphones do most of the heavy lifting, and the OEM would be sorry if it were to let that opportunity slide.
There’s an uphill battle to face with the likes of Apple and Samsung on the phone side, and Apple, Samsung and ASUS running things on the tablet side for the time being, so whatever HP’s plan is we don’t expect it to make drastic waves overnight. Where do you see HP sitting in the mobile realm 3 years from now?