HP Confirms 2011 Launch For WebOS Tablet

Computer giant Hewlett-Packard has confirmed plans to launch a tablet device running Palm’s webOS in the first quarter of 2011. The news backs up a report in Engadget last week, which quoted “several trusted sources” as saying that Todd Bradley, head of HP’s personal systems group, had mentioned the date during an employee meeting.

During the company’s quarterly earnings call yesterday, in which HP announced third fiscal quarter revenues of $30.7 billion, Bradley said “You’ll see us with a Microsoft product [running Windows 7] in the near future, and a webOS-based product in early 2011.”

Following HP’s purchase of smartphone-maker Palm in April, HP has been widely expected to launch a tablet device running Palm’s webOS operating system, to rival to the Apple iPad. The tablet, known internally as “Hurricane”, was originally rumoured to be set for a release this quarter, but HP never confirmed this.

In July, HP registered to trademark the name “PalmPad” – which is likely to be the official product name that consumers can expect.

Windows 7 tablet

Meanwhile, executives at HP have indicated that the company could make a line of Windows 7 tablets that would be geared more for businesses than consumers.

“Our focus is working with still our largest software partner, Microsoft, to create a tablet for the enterprise business,” said Bradley during the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in July. “I think you’ll see us with a family of Slate products, clearly a Microsoft product in the enterprise, and a WebOS product broadly deployed.”

Back in July, a cached page was spotted on HP’s website, showng off a tablet PC listed as the HP Slate 500. The description accompanying the image suggested the device would have an 8.9-inch screen, two cameras for still images and web conferencing, Windows 7 Premium, and a pen for writing or drawing. It also comes with headphones.

“No matter where you are or what kind of fun you’re in the mood for, the HP Slate 500 is all you need,” stated the description. “Exclusive HP software gives you access to photos, videos and everything on the Internet with just a touch.”

HP has also been rumoured in the past to be working on a tablet based on Google’s Android operating system. However, soon after HP’s Palm acquisition, reports emerged that the plans had been put on hold, suggesting that Android had been pushed out by webOS.

Future smartphones

During the time of the purchase, the webOS platform was widely understood to be Palm’s most valuable asset, leading the way for an aggressive move by HP into the mobile device space. The company has already said that its its anticipated smartphone line will exclusively run Palm’s webOS software.

Only last week, however, it was reported that the final remaining member of the Palm Pre design team, Peter Skillman, had left HP. His departure follows hot on the heels of the sudden resignation of HP CEO Mark Hurd on 6 August, following findings of ethical misconduct, after an inquiry into sexual harassment allegations made by a former consultant to HP.