HP to take another stab at challenging the iPad

published 20 August 2012

HP is set to re-enter the tablet market, a year after it discontinued the production of its webOS TouchPad device and carried out a fire-sale.

The hardware giant will create a Mobility Global Business Unit, according to a internal memo obtained by The Verge.

We are building on our commitment to re-invest in mobility.

HP executive vice president Todd Bradley confirmed the division will focus on creating consumer devices initially. There are no details yet on the operating system HP will use, but Windows 8 and Android are likely to be the main options.

"I am pleased to announce that we are creating a team dedicated to delivering the best mobility solutions in the industry. With this move, we are building on our commitment to re-invest in mobility via dedicated leadership, focused research and development, amazing new products and a growing suite of applications and services," noted Bradley.

"Our new Mobility Global Business Unit initially will focus on consumer tablets and will expand to additional segments and categories where we believe we can offer differentiated value to our customers."

Former Nokia vice president Alberto Torres will be in charge of the new division and will report directly to Bradley.

The re-entry of HP into the tablet market in unsurprising, as portable devices such as the iPad continue to sell by the bucketload and have proved popular with consumers and business users.

The next few months are shaping up to be important for HP, with the firm set to launch Windows 8-based business tablet in October.

Khidr Suleman is the Technical Editor at IT Pro, a role he has fulfilled since March 2012. He is responsible for the reviews section on the site - so get in touch if you have a product you think might be of interest to the business world. He also covers the hardware and operating systems beats. Prior to joining IT Pro, Khidr worked as a reporter at Incisive Media. He studied law at the University of Reading and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism and Online Writing at PMA Training.