14 DAY TRIAL // Don't know how many of you remember this, but a few months ago HP launched a printer which came with an Android tablet that was meant as a wireless digital companion and control panel for remote printing, a pretty strange move for a company that had just purchased its own mobile operating system (via Palm), but Android's rain will be short lived as the company plans to replace it with webOS in future printers.
This latest news comes via the Pocket-lint website that talked with Stephan Batteux, portfolio manager Inkjet and Web Services for EMEA at HP.
Although the company representative said they are working hard in order to bring out an webOS printer as soon as possible, he stated that he doubts this will happen in 2011, such a move being more likely to become a reality in 2012.
Moving the webOS operating system into the ePrint range of printers would allow developers to build applications that will add further functionality to HP's printers such as collaborative printing, social media integration, web album printing and others.
The company representative also stated that they are working with third-party companies in order to develop an enterprise version of its ePrint system that would allow large companies to print to any networked printer via the company's intranet.
Furthermore, HP plans to incorporate the ePrint technology in a new series of printers, including its laser product line.
To further ease the development of third-party applications for ePrint devices, HP plans to release a special API in the coming months, Batteux also stating that the company is working on a way to make it easier for developers to port their Android applications to webOS.
This latest development comes as no surprise to those that have been keeping a close eye on HP as the company's CEOMark Hurd said earlier this year that it was going to "leverage webOS into a variety of form factors, including slates and Web-connected printers".