Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ)’s Valentine? Android

I’m interested to know if Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ) will pursue a strategy similar to other OEMs by adding minor third-party software modifications in an attempt to differentiate its devices. I wouldn’t expect the company to go as far as Amazon did, since HP would still rely on Google’s services and content ecosystems, but it could easily tweak Android and try to brand it like other OEMs are keen on doing. The alternative is to ship a “stock” Android device, ensuring a commoditized device. Nexus devices are the only tablets that currently ship with “stock” Android.

What comes next?
What HP chooses to do in tablets will also have bearing on its inevitable revamped smartphone push. The smartphones that HP launched years ago that were little more than rebranded Palm smartphones quickly failed, but Meg Whitman has confirmed that the company has to “ultimately offer a smartphone.”

Perhaps HP will launch Windows Phone 8 devices. Perhaps HP will add an Android smartphone to complement an Android tablet. Perhaps it will do it all.

The article Hewlett-Packard’s Valentine? Android originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Evan Niu, CFA.

Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, Apple, Google, and NVIDIA. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com, Apple, Google, and Microsoft.

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