If you remember HP's last tablet with webOS (TouchPad), it was something which was short lived and ended up with a fire sale which wiped out the supply very quickly. So, for HP's next tablet offering, one would assume that HP was going to be offering Windows 8 RT on their tablet. A logical expectation given that webOS had been moved to the Open Source arena and not part of HP's future plans. Rumors abound as to what is going to happen to webOS, but for now, the question of tablets for HP remains. But, the expected OS for HP's tablet is not Windows 8 RT, but rather Android.That's right, Android on their latest 7 inch tablet, the Slate 7. They are bringing their new tablet into the very competitive 7 inch market space. The competition is much greater since Apple came out with the iPad Mini. It seems that things are getting very crowded and prices are being pushed downward. The Slate 7 will retail for $169 and undercuts the iPad Mini at $329. But the decision to enter at a much lower price point is not an easy one to make. And in so making it, they have to reduce costs so that it was affordable. Other than reducing some of the hardware components, the only thing left is the OS by moving to Google's Android. By taking Microsoft out of the picture and reducing some hardware components, they were able to drop the price down to where it is at.
By selecting Android, HP has found an easy to leverage OS to work on the Slate 7 and is easier for them to make changes to it. Much like the Android OS for smart phones, HP can add on their parts to the OS and make it theirs. And with the popularity of Jelly Bean (Android 4.2), there is a known interface that many are familiar with. Along with the Google name behind it, HP has partnered with a popular OS.
The question one has to wonder is whether HP is not happy that Microsoft has entered the hardware market. Given that HP has been struggling with retail sales for the past few years, making a cheaper product which has brand recognition may well help sales. And by bundling Android with their Slate 7, they have added more brand recognition to the product. For Microsoft, this is going to be another indication of their struggling tablet OS.
Microsoft is going to start feeling pressure with HP's decision and may cause some to think about other tablets not including the Surface Pro which they are heavily promoting. For HP, the decision to move to Android for their coming Slate 7 is going to make them stand out as being different from the Microsoft crowd and may be just enough to spur some additional sales to their latest tablet.
Given the lower price for the Slate 7, is this going to be one you might purchase?
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