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HP going webOS-only for smartphones

No HP Android tablets either - but Windows and webOS slates due by early 2011...
Written by Natasha Lomas, Contributor

No HP Android tablets either - but Windows and webOS slates due by early 2011...

HP has confirmed webOS will be its sole operating system for smartphones - closing the door on the prospect of Google Android- or Microsoft Windows Phone 7-powered handsets coming from the tech giant.

Earlier this year HP bought smartphone-maker Palm for $1.2bn - also acquiring its webOS operating system - but the tech giant has previously deployed Microsoft OSes on handhelds including on its iPaq smartphones.

Speaking in an interview with the Financial Times, Jon Rubinstein, the former Palm CEO who is now HP SVP and general manager of its Palm global business unit, said HP is concentrating its resources on webOS for smartphones. "HP voted with its pocketbook," he told the FT, adding: "It's all about focus."

Palm Pre smartphone

HP will use webOS - seen here on the Palm Pre - for any future smartphones
Photo credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET

However the tech giant isn't closing the door on Microsoft entirely - and will be offering Windows-based tablets, according to Rubinstein. HP will deliver a tablet running webOS early next year but also plans to ship a Windows-based tablet before then, he said.

HP has abandoned a project to build an Android-powered slate, Rubinstein added.

The company has previously shipped an Android-powered netbook, under its Compaq brand.

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