HP to Focus Windows 8 Tablets on Enterprise, Working With Partners to Establish Foothold

HP is remedying the mistakes it made with the HTC TouchPad with Windows 8 tablets.

HP was at the Global Influencer Summit and said Windows 8 tablets will focus on enterprise

HP’s TouchPad was a disaster, which is a shame because webOS was quite promising. So promising, in fact, that after the platform’s death sever price cuts meant HP sold thousands of tablets. Still it was a failure, and HP wants to learn from its mistakes. Part of that process will be working with partners to ensure success for Windows 8.

HP’s executive vice president of HP’s Personal Systems Group, Todd Bradley, was at the Global Influencer Summit. It’s there he said the company will be working with partners to gain a foothold in the tablet market. He added that products will probably have an enterprise and small business focus rather than a consumer focus, which seems a little strange considering Windows 8 will have a strong consumer appeal at launch.

He also added the summit was not the place for unveiling products or revealing plans, saying the summit was about thin and light defenses for creating and consuming data. He said tablets are about consuming data, which is why they have been separated from the launch of the Spectre XT Ultrabook.

Bradley didn’t share word on whether HP will enter the smartphone market, saying it’s unlikely. To be honest they will, Windows 8 or otherwise. HP didn’t revive webOS, so there’s no reason they’ll go with another platform. It seems like building Windows 8 machines would be something more suited to the company.

Tablet choice leading to oversaturation?

My only worry about picking a Windows 8 tablet is that there will too many to choose from, maybe not immediately from launch but I bet shortly after. While that will mean there should be a form factor and price for everyone, how many of those products will be high quality? Android’s open source approach has resulted in many devices being cast adrift. It may be a case of less is more for Windows 8: Microsoft’s chief competitor, Apple, has followed that approach to the extreme. I’d say four or five good quality tablets will be more than enough for launch, like the Windows Phone launch.