After years of walking Apple's footsteps in laptop design, HP says it's finally got a Macbook-killer in its upcoming flagship lineup, set to be announced on Tuesday, April 5.
HP's previous efforts with its lineup of laptops such as in its selection of EliteBook Folio business laptops have actually come out being both lighter and thinner than Apple's Macbook Air.
HP's definitely got to work on catchier names for its products, surely, but the Folio line not only beat the MacBook Air in dimensions, but also in specs. The Folio 1020, for example, was equipped with a higher resolution screen, a fingerprint reader and military-grade shock protection.
Whatever HP will call its next edition of the Folio, the company is bragging that it will put an end to Apple's long history as the front runner of innovation.
"For years, Apple has been seen as the innovator and the driver of innovation. HP is really taking over that mantle," says Ron Coughlin, president of HP's personal systems group.
So far, HP is all talk and no walk, but it will be interesting to see what it has planned. No further details were revealed to back HP's claims against Apple, but we're intrigued. The laptop is all set to be unveiled at the International Luxury Conference in Paris so we can at least infer that will be sport an ultrathin profile, perhaps the thinnest yet.
But it's not just Apple that HP likely wants to dethrone. Dell has also asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with since the release of its XPS 13 and its popular near bezel-less Infinity Edge display. It certainly is a looker that fits a 13-inch screen into the footprint of an 11-inch Macbook Air.
Besides Dell, HP also has other competitors to think about in the next stage of laptop design. Microsoft has become a leader in creating truly innovative hardware for hybrid convertible laptops.
The Surface Book is a prime example. It's nowhere near the portability of a Macbook or Macbook Air, but the Surface Book holds its own in more ways than one against Apple's Macbook Pro.
Ultimately, it's all good news for us consumers. Competition will force companies to offer better products, and it's certainly time for HP to make itself stand out and really get some interest growing for its products.
