News
HP kills webOS hardware, will spin-off/sell PC business
By Charles Starrett
Contributing Editor
Published: Thursday, August 18, 2011
News Categories: Digital Media, iPad, iPhone
HP today announced that will discontinue operations for its webOS devices, effectively removing iPhone and iPad competitors such as the Pre line of phones and touchPad tablet computer from the market. “HP reported that it plans to announce that it will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones,” reads a statement from the company. “HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward.”
Notably, the same press release states that the company is exploring alternatives for its Personal Systems Group (PSG), where former Apple executive Jon Rubinstein now serves as senior vice president of product innovation. Options for the group, which is responsible for business and consumer PCs, mobile computing devices and workstations, include a full or partial separation from HP “through a spin-off or other transaction,” suggesting that HP will exit the hardware businesses for computers, phones, and tablets in the near future. Should the webOS software team be joined with the PSG, it could create an organization similar to Apple, leaving products such as enterprise services and software under the HP banner. However, the announcement may signal a substantial liquidation of HP’s patents or hardware businesses, which would be a stunning blow to a previously strong rival to Apple’s various businesses.
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1
HP has done this with other operations. Their Test & Measurement group was spun off as “Agilent”, and their semiconductor group was spun off as “Avago”. Shedding their remaining hardware operations would fit the pattern, but since most people know HP by their consumer products and not by their T&M and semiconductor history, this would be a shocking image change for HP.
Posted by rockmyplimsoul on August 18, 2011 at 1:01 PM (PST)
2
Maybe, just maybe, with this change in structure HP will improve the hardware quality of some of their computing devices.
Posted by My03Tundra on August 19, 2011 at 1:51 AM (PST)
3
This again demonstrates HP’s blind stupidity they did the same thing with Voodoo buy a company and then run them into the ground after creating two products which were in some ways groundbreaking.
With Palm its even worse they bought the company and then have put next to no effort in to make WebOS something truly great. Which it has the potential to become. HP’s handling of Palm has frankly been despicable.
Posted by johnathan on August 19, 2011 at 2:15 AM (PST)
4
I can hear Mr. Jon Rubinstein: Damn, I’ve never should left Apple! From Palm CEO to puff senior vice president of what? Karma gets its ways, don’t you think
Posted by Osmac on August 19, 2011 at 3:33 PM (PST)
5
Sigh. Another contender bites the dust. I guess the only hope we have left to topple the mighty ipad 2 is the ipad 3.
Posted by Dick Bacon on August 20, 2011 at 3:40 PM (PST)