HP to Reenter Tablet Market with Windows 8

hp logoAmong Apple's early competitors in the tablet market, HP gained a significant amount of attention as it initially sought to build its niche around webOS, which it acquired along with Palm in early 2010. HP introduced its webOS-based TouchPad in early 2011, launching the device on July 1 of that year only to exit the tablet and smartphone business just six weeks later.

HP then successfully sold off its backlog of TouchPads at $99 fire sale prices, announcing that it would make webOS an open source project.

The Bangkok Post now reports that HP has decided to reenter the tablet market, this time taking advantage of Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 platform in a fresh attempt to make an impact in the rapidly-growing tablet market.

Restarting production is a strategic move aimed at capitalising on the extraordinary growth in tablet sales, chief executive Meg Whitman said yesterday at the Global Influencer Summit 2012. [...]

Todd Bradley, the executive vice-president for printing and personal systems, said HP's Windows 8 tablets will come equipped with cloud-based technology, enabling users to share and store content online between different devices.

Apple continues to dominate the tablet market two years after the debut of the original iPad, with its shipment share even rising to 68% in the first quarter of 2012 as early momentum from Amazon's Kindle Fire seems to have faded.

Google's Android operating system has had only limited success in the tablet market, led by Samsung's Galaxy Tab offerings, while Amazon's heavily-customized Kindle Fire implementation of Android has also attempted to stake a claim to the market. Other competitors have had less success, with webOS falling by the wayside almost before it got started.

Microsoft is the latest entrant into the tablet market since Apple reinvented the segment, banking on its Windows 8 products to bridge the gap between PCs and tablets. The company showed off Windows 8 last September and earlier this year revealed its plans for bringing Windows to ARM processors in a further effort to blur the lines between desktop and mobile. HP, the world's largest PC manufacturer, could play a key role in working to spread Windows to the tablet market, but it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will have success with its efforts.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone eSIM Feature

Apple Hints at iPhone 17 Models Lacking SIM Card Slot in More Countries

Sunday August 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Another hint has surfaced that Apple is preparing to eliminate the physical SIM card tray from iPhones in more countries this year. In particular, a source familiar with the matter has informed MacRumors that retail employees at Apple Authorized Resellers in the EU are required to complete a training course related to iPhones with eSIM support by Friday, September 5. There are 27 countries...

Top Rated Comments

AustinIllini Avatar
174 months ago
This gives me hope that this touchpad I have might be able to get Windows 8 installed on it.

I fully expect HP and Microsoft to provide no support for the touchpad
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NAG Avatar
174 months ago
I fully expect HP and Microsoft to provide no support for the touchpad

It's kind of been HP's track record recently. They show off the Windows 7 Slate. They throw it under the bus and buy Palm. They throw Palm under the bus before they even release the TouchPad. And now we're supposed to believe they're going to actually put their support behind a Windows 8 tablet? Really? The company habitually gets cold feet and I have no reason to believe that will change with yet another CEO swap while everything else about the company remains the same.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
celo48 Avatar
174 months ago
They did not learn their lesson.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KnightWRX Avatar
174 months ago
Just. Make. Printers.
Yeah, throw all those nice Integrity and Proliant servers away, those SAN solutions and storage arrays, all that software and consulting that's worth billions. Just make stupid printers.

Some people sure don't have a clue what HP even does and it shows. :rolleyes:
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
markintosh Avatar
174 months ago
Welcome to the party

Too bad there's no beer left :)
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rjohnstone Avatar
174 months ago
Yeah, throw all those nice Integrity and Proliant servers away, those SAN solutions and storage arrays, all that software and consulting that's worth billions. Just make stupid printers.

Some people sure don't have a clue what HP even does and it shows. :rolleyes:
This^^^

We have THOUSANDS of HP Proliant servers and they're rock solid.
HP's network consulting team are no slackers either. They make some of the Cisco reps look like first year ITT drop outs. ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)