HP is reportedly working on some new smartphones for the end of this year, though they might not be the phones we’d hope for.
According to The Information HP is working on some low-end Android phones for emerging markets like China, India, and the Philippines by the end of this year. The phones will probably be 6-inch and 7-inch devices that will cost about $200 to $250 without a contract. At those prices in those markets, the new HP phones would be strictly low-end, though it’s hard to imagine them being as great as the low-end Moto G.
Rumors about HP making smartphones aren’t exactly new. Neither is the idea of the company making Android devices. HP released the Slate 7 Android tablet earlier this year, which is also a relatively cheap device. More Android tablets are on the way, though HP has never publicly made any announcement about smartphones, only talking about them as “long term” prospects.
The current rumors don’t give HP much time to announce the new smartphones. There’s only eight days left of 2013 in which to announce the devices if the rumor is true. If HP doesn’t announce the phones within the next week, however, there is always a chance for a 2014 announcement of the phones. Even if an announcement is made in the next few days, a 2014 shipping date would seem likely.
The last smartphone HP ever released was the HP Veer back in 2011. That phone was the last WebOS smartphone released, though the company also had the Pre 3 ready to go and was working on an all-touchscreen WebOS device. It’s not clear if any of the former Palm design team is left at HP, or if they worked on these rumored devices. It’s nice to dream about a Palm Pre-inspired Android phone, however unlikely it may seem.
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