Dell, HP to launch Windows 8 tablets in 2012?

Published Oct 18 2011, 20:25 BST  |  By Mark Langshaw

Dell and Hewlett Packard (HP) are rumoured to be prepping Windows 8-powered tablets for release next year.

BGR reports that competition from Amazon's budget friendly Kindle Fire is behind the computing giants' decision to stand by the Microsoft operating system.

Dell is expected to invest its resources in a tablet geared towards the business sector, while HP is said to be looking at the consumer market. It has been speculated that the new devices could serve as a middle ground between low cost Android tablets and higher priced Apple ones.

HTC is also rumoured to be working on a Windows 8 tablet despite its strong association with Android. Lenovo is allegedly building a similar device, expected to be powered by Android.

Microsoft previously confirmed that Windows 8 will include an applications store and use less power than its Windows 7. The operating system is expected to be released next year.

Dell and HP's new tablet devices have been pencilled in for a Q3, 2012 launch.