HP May Have Nuked its Android Tablet Plans

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HP may be shelving its Android tablet project to focus on its webOS tablet.

Various reports are indicating that Hewlett Packard (HP) has delayed its plans to bring an Android-based tablet to the market during Q4 2010. Sources close to the matter said that the company has "shelved" the project for now with no indication that it will be resumed in the immediate future. So far the reasons behind the delay are unknown.

It's possible that HP is currently focused on its Windows 7 tablet. It was previously believed that HP had also shelved those tablet plans as well, but after its logo was listed during Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer's Worldwide Partners Conference keynote earlier this week, it's now believed that the HP tablet isn't dead, and that the company is pushing to get the device ready for a Q4 2010 launch.

It's also speculated that HP has turned its attention to the future webOS slate PC currently in development at its just-assimilated Palm. The latest rumor surrounding that particular device is that it has a planned launch date of Q3 2010--meaning just around the corner. HP also previously stated that it was "doubling down" on webOS, increasing its research and development spending for the platform.

If that is indeed the case, then HP may not be working on Windows 7 and Android tablets at all, focusing entirely on webOS products. That would make sense given its recent purchase of Palm, and would also explain why HP was virtually non-existent during Ballmer's keynote save for a simple logo.

Kevin Parrish
12 Comments Comment from the forums
  • NapoleonDK
    I lost the Crunchpad, and now the Slate? Damn, I guess no one loves Android... *walks off dejectedly*
    Reply
  • mman74
    Hmmm, HP to scrap the Android tablet? I would have bought one.
    Sure if the Win 7 tablet was equally cheap and equally fast I would buy instead! What gives?
    Reply
  • doomtomb
    I'll believe it when I see it.
    Reply
  • dEAne
    Let me guess they like cloud computing as well.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    Now that they've acquired Palm, releasing an Android tablet would've ran counter to their portfolio. That probably has something to do with it.
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    Never mind, was always likely I sould get a Samsung or a Sony tablet for Windows 7 anyway, pretty much guaranteed it will be slim and sexy as the iPad but waaaaay more functional
    Reply
  • techguy378
    This is probably because Android doesn't run reliably on x86 hardware yet. Intel's highly experimental x86 Android port is very buggy in its current state compared to the standard version designed for the ARM platform. It's just easier to build a tablet based on the desktop Windows 7 OS instead of delaying the tablet by waiting for an experimental OS like x86 Android to become available in stable form.
    Reply
  • g00fysmiley
    seeing as they now own an os that would be competeing with android and win7 mobile its not really surprising that they'd want to get their os out there asap then fill in the ranks wit the competing os on thier own hardware
    Reply
  • back_by_demand
    The good thing with HP is they are hedging their bets. If the webOS thing falls flat on it's face they will already have a Windows 7 version to replace it using all the same hardware, same thing for Android tablets.

    Wouldn't surprise me in the least if OS free tablets come to market and you install your own, the same way you can put Linux on a PC.
    Reply
  • wildwell
    back_by_demandWouldn't surprise me in the least if OS free tablets come to market and you install your own, the same way you can put Linux on a PC.
    Whether HP planned it or not, it does look like they are well positioned to enter the multi-touch tablet market from almost any angle. I doubt we'll see an OS free tablet from anyone though, that would have super limited appeal. Why put any money into marketing and manufacturing something that less than 1% of the market would even blink an eye at and just steal sales from the rest of your line?
    Reply