HP stops making low-end tablets

HP announced that it will be exiting the low-cost tablet market and focus on higher-end hybrid and detachable devices (e.g. HP Spectre x2 and HP Spectre x360), as well as business tablets. The company points at declining prices and slowing demand for the cheapest tablets as the main reasons behind this decision.

"We are going to focus where there is profitability and growth and will not chase the low-end tablet market. We are focusing on business mobility to deliver tablets built for field service, education, retail and healthcare," Ron Coughlin, president for personal systems at HP explained.

The switch is already visible on HP's website, as the company stopped listing most of low-end Android devices and those remaining (e.g. the HP 7 G2 and HP 8 G2 tablets) are marked as "out of stock". The least expensive tablet on the website is now the $329.99 HP Envy 8 Note.

Mike Nash, vice president of customer experience and portfolio strategy at HP said that the company will not be changing its low-end PC strategy, as the demand for such products remains at high level in consumer and some business segments.

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