HP recently ‘killed off’ their Mobile Operating System, WebOS, which they not long ago acquired when they bought out Palm; but what’s this got to do with Android? Not much really, however, here’s why I think Google and Motorola (Googlerola, if you will) should be paying attention — in my dream world, at least.
With WebOS pretty much dead in the water; HP are trying to get rid off their TouchPads by any means necessary — their weapon of choice? A $99 pricetag. By selling them at this price, HP are losing money — not that it matters to them — but they’re also selling them like hot-cakes.
Here’s where Googlerola should be paying attention.
Should the Google / Motorola acquisition go through, Googlerola should be pricing their devices at an extremely low price and making up for the lost profits with the Android Market — that is making Google millions already. By doing so, they may piss off other manufacturers at first, but they’ll increase Android’s market share by a noticeable amount.
Once Android’s market share is at a point where the Android Market is creating a considerable profit, Google should then support other manufacturers by allowing them to sell their devices for lower prices and giving them a percentage of the Android Market profits depending on the amount of devices they’ve sold — using analytics from the Android Market.
This would happen in a world where justice prevailed, however, we’re not in that world. So I believe Android devices will continue to be on the somewhat pricey side. Lame. Though if it does happen, I want credit and payments; Google you have my info.
This article is cross-posted from Buzz’s own site, Buzz Talks Android. Check it out if you love Android rambling
Before the market share increased, Google would see their partners switched to other OS choice such as MS Windows. It does not make sense to compete what you consider as business partners this way. You might as well just pay manufactures to use Android. Why bother to purchase Moto?
it really is about getting android into the mix, more customers on that ecosystem.. the article does have a point, it only needs to happen with one generation of tablet .
Use the moto partnership to get a budget device with very robust specs. this invigorates the competition within the group of android device makers and gets people to drop iOS
Great idea. Sell poor products (sadly all Android tablets are still left wanting) at a loss to make huge losses, but offset that by eating heavily into the one profitable sector of the android business we have. Did you used to be an investment banker?
I came here to pretty much say this. Tablets are not cheap to make. Selling a device for 80% Below cost IS NOT SMART BUSINESS!
Perhaps Ausdroid should start giving away their merch and allow their hugely profitable ad revenue business to compensate. Sorry but no.
Do you think google could add android to hp touchpads? just for fun?
There is already a team working on doing this
apparantly it already has a working froyo port
http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2011/08/23/hp-touchpad-playing-nice-with-android-video/