Opinions - Is it time for HP to pull out of the consumer mobile market?

[HEXUS]

The HP Pre 3 launches in the UK today, apparently.

Read more.

[Brewster0101]

If no operator is supporting this device then there is little point in it existing in this over crowded market.

[mrochester]

It would be a real shame as many people are very enthusiastic about WebOS. It just seems that Palm and now HP just haven't quite been able to pull it off.

[crossy]

It would be a real shame as many people are very enthusiastic about WebOS. It just seems that Palm and now HP just haven't quite been able to pull it off.

Yes, from what I've seen WebOS is a real nice OS - although I had a play with a TouchPad in Staples and wasn't that impressed - seemed a little sluggish compared to iPad2 and various Android tablets I've tried/owned.

Pulling out of the consumer market would also allow HP to license webOS to third parties such as Samsung and HTC - who must be feeling rather threatened by the Googorola deal - without competing with them itself.

Not wanting to be a party-pooper, but I don't think HP are targeting the smartphone-owner-in-the-street with Pre3, instead it's being positioned as a business phone. If you then follow up with the efforts that HP are putting into getting apps for the WebOS platform, then maybe this is a sensible approach. Remember that business phone users typically have different requirements to a normal smartphone user - so don't think of the Pre 3 as an iPhone competitor, more slanted against RIM/Blackberry.

Also not sure that Samsung/HTC would be that keen to launch into WebOS - after all Samsung has Bada (bing?) and HTC seemed pretty keen on Win7Phone.

(Disclaimer: although I work for HP, I'm not associated with the Palm division, and so the opinions expressed above are my own)

[directhex]

If no operator is supporting this device then there is little point in it existing in this over crowded market.

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/su...ersonal/615671

Expect actual availability real soon now.

[Terbinator]

...after all Samsung has Bada (bing?) and HTC seemed pretty keen on Win7Phone.

The strip club from The Sopranos?

[kingpotnoodle]

I just don't see WebOS making it....

iOS is right at the heart of Apple's profit machine, it will get all the love and marketing it needs.

Android is key in Google's strategy to own the internet, collect all out data and advertise to us mercilessly (oh well, we get a nice OS and good tools out of it)

Windows Phone 7 and future mobile versions are absolutely essential to Microsoft's future as the world goes more mobile, it needs success to avoid becoming out of step with progress.

In short those 3 have all the billions and all the will/need to use them in pushing their OS to the fore, in contrast HP are primarily a hardware solutions business in the profitable enterprise space, I just don't see them throwing the necessary billions into something that is not their core business. Consumers spending less on PCs and more on mobile devices won't hurt HP in the same way it hurts Microsoft and profits Apple or Google, they will still be making skiploads of cash off servers, office PCs, printers and laptops... in fact as we all go mobile and stuff things into the cloud HP could do well selling all those cloud servers - I think they will pour the billions there, not on WebOS/Pre etc.

Being one of the big 3 mobile platforms is going to cost A LOT and HP are already behind.

[billybear]

The problem is within HP and its marketing. It's not getting products to the shelves quickly. HP has a poor name in the mobile space with the their previous attempts around Windows Mobile. They should of kept the Palm name.

Here's what I would do if I was HP. Build WebOS handsets under the Palm name. License the software out to HTC, LG, Samsung etc. Palm sets a minimum hardware requirement ala Windows Phone 7. Apply the same to tablets.

Have Palm branded laptops for the halo effect. Laptops have a fast WebOS boot option in addition to Windows. An emulator can still run WebOS apps and sync with your phone.

[crossy]

I just don't see WebOS making it.... iOS is right at the heart of Apple's profit machine, it will get all the love and marketing it needs. Android is key in Google's strategy to own the internet, collect all out data and advertise to us mercilessly (oh well, we get a nice OS and good tools out of it) Windows Phone 7 and future mobile versions are absolutely essential to Microsoft's future as the world goes more mobile, it needs success to avoid becoming out of step with progress.

Not sure I'd quite agree with your reasoning - e.g. Microsoft's cash cow was supposedly Office, then Windows desktop/server OSes. Similarly Google's money spinner is advertising and Android is merely one conduit to sell that advertising. Also got to say that - to me at least - Microsoft's "mobile" activities appear half-hearted at best, more akin to a "hobby farm" than a serious push. Once Nokia gets into gear, and Win8Mobile launches then that could all change...

In short those 3 have all the billions and all the will/need to use them in pushing their OS to the fore, in contrast HP are primarily a hardware solutions business in the profitable enterprise space, I just don't see them throwing the necessary billions into something that is not their core business. Consumers spending less on PCs and more on mobile devices won't hurt HP in the same way it hurts Microsoft and profits Apple or Google, they will still be making skiploads of cash off servers, office PCs, printers and laptops... in fact as we all go mobile and stuff things into the cloud HP could do well selling all those cloud servers - I think they will pour the billions there, not on WebOS/Pre etc.

Don't forget that HP have app and services arms, both quite profitable - so to forget them is a dis-service. Also, it's been widely quoted that WebOS is expected to power the latest generation of HP all-in-one devices. I myself have a Photosmart eStation (bought with generous employee discount), although it's Android powered it's still an excellent piece of kit, and I'd suggest that a WebOS-powered replacement would probably be just as capable (end of advert...)

Here's what I would do if I was HP. Build WebOS handsets under the Palm name. License the software out to HTC, LG, Samsung etc. Palm sets a minimum hardware requirement ala Windows Phone 7. Apply the same to tablets. Have Palm branded laptops for the halo effect. Laptops have a fast WebOS boot option in addition to Windows. An emulator can still run WebOS apps and sync with your phone.

Hmm, I've still got a Palm PDA (Tungsten T3) which I was using up until a month ago (replaced by an Android phone) - so like you I've got some respect/affection for the Palm name. HP have always said that they've no objection to others approaching them to license WebOS - so if HTC etc came to them then I guess they'd be welcomed more warmly than a loaded beer truck at an Aussie barbie...

As to the Laptop comments - again they've stated that they'd like to incorporate WebOS as a fast-boot option in all their desktops and laptops - I guess in a similar fashion to the way that my Asus motherboard boots into Splashtop before proceeding to Windows 7 after a five second wait. Surely that might be a good way to get a lot of WebOS installations "out in the wild" at minimal outlay?

Otherwise, ignoring whatever technical superiorities it may have, I honestly can't see WebOS amounting to much more than a curiosity like MeeGo.

[kingpotnoodle]

As to the Laptop comments - again they've stated that they'd like to incorporate WebOS as a fast-boot option in all their desktops and laptops - I guess in a similar fashion to the way that my Asus motherboard boots into Splashtop before proceeding to Windows 7 after a five second wait. Surely that might be a good way to get a lot of WebOS installations "out in the wild" at minimal outlay?

How many people *actually* use SplashTop etc though, sure it's installed on millions of machines, but I reckon a good many of those are either disabled or never used. It always seemed utterly pointless to me to save 1 minute of boot time just to end up with a limited OS that at some point you'll probably hit a limitation of and need to reboot into Windows. Especially as Windows 7 is much improved on sleep/resume.

[Jedibeeftrix]

i think HP will survive, especially given that the highly complimentary touchpad is the second most successful tablet after the ipad2 itself.

[directhex]

I've blogged on the topic, FWIW. http://apebox.org/wordpress/rants/391/

Pre3 unboxing video on Sunday.

[directhex]

Mother****. You gave them ideas.

"Hewlett-Packard Co. said Thursday afternoon that it plans to discontinue operations for its webOS devices, such as the Pre wireless handsets and TouchPad tablet."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/h-p...dist=countdown

[kingpotnoodle]

Mother****. You gave them ideas.

"Hewlett-Packard Co. said Thursday afternoon that it plans to discontinue operations for its webOS devices, such as the Pre wireless handsets and TouchPad tablet."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/h-p...dist=countdown

It's like I'm clairvoyant or something...

[directhex]

It's like I'm clairvoyant or something...

did you predict them dumping desktops, laptops & servers while they were at it?

[crossy]

"Hewlett-Packard Co. said Thursday afternoon that it plans to discontinue operations for its webOS devices, such as the Pre wireless handsets and TouchPad tablet."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/h-p...dist=countdown

That quote isn't complete - what was actually said was they were they'd decided to "discontinue the hardware device operations of our webOS division". Note, they're not saying that they're dropping webOS, merely that if you see webOS phones/tablets then it'll be someone else's name on the outside. Maybe this'd be a good opportunity for those Android manufacturers who are hacked off with the Google+Motorola deal?

did you predict them dumping desktops, laptops & servers while they were at it?

Desktops and laptops I can see being shunted off, but the server line? That's pretty unlikely imho. Remember that IBM did something similar - Leonovo got the consumer gear but the xSeries stayed with Big Blue. This could be a good thing - maybe give HP enough revenue to move the Integrity's off of Itanium and get HP/UX ported to x86.