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HP to “discontinue operations for webOS devices”
This is not good news for those who love the webOS platform. Rumours circulated today the HP was going to spin off their PC business to Autonomy Corporation. In a press release just minutes ago they stated that they’re “in discussions with Autonomy regarding a possible offer for the company”… but the bigger news in mobile for HP is their webOS platform. HP saved/purchased Palm months ago and also gobbled up their incredibly intuitive webOS platform. However, the press release sheds light on it’s gloom future:
“In addition, HP reported that it plans to announce that it will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward.”
With this news we’ll probably see webOS being licensed out to various manufacturers.
More soon (hopefully).
Source: MarketWire
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40 comments for “HP to “discontinue operations for webOS devices””
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You gotta be kidding me.
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This was to be expected. Not that webOS was a bad OS, but it never took off. Can HP really afford to continue loosing money into this venture?
Does it really has its place against Android, iOS, RIM and WP7?
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Holy crap… poor palm :[
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They should’ve licensed webOS to other manufacturers long time ago, because Pre3 launch is taking forever. And it will be obsolete they day it launches. More manufacturers – more devices in customer’s hands – more developers – more apps, large ecosystem – profits. Just look at Android, everybody wins.
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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aww man! I was hoping for more competition. My bet is HP will move towards android and windows phone 7, similar to Dell’s approach.
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I don’t think they’ll be making phones at all.
HP is moving into cloud computing.
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Maybe not. Who knows? They might end up licensing it out a la MS and Google. It sounds to me like they’re getting away from the hw.
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2012 is the final test for many companies (mainly Nokia’s Windows phoness and BB QNX phones). 2012 could be the year in which many companies bounce back. And not to mention Moto and Google.
So 2012 could be webOS’s year.
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The real question is that who will license WebOS when even HP has trouble selling the TouchPad or Pre 3. It is a shame as WebOS is quite intuitive, but I guess it simply lack the resources to compete against Apple and Google.
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How long has the TouchPad been out? Doesn’t seem that long. Liked WebOS but it’s always been a lame duck, no-one seemed to know what to do with it.
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I definitely agree with you Jonesy1966, I always liked webOS but it was just so hard to fit into the cell phone market despite being a great platform. No resources, developer interest wasn’t there…I can go on.
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And thus we arrive at the end of an era. Palm was certainly an innovative brand. It just goes to show that just because you defined/created a new market, it doesn’t guarantee success in said market.
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Why the f**k did they bought Palm?
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Wow, the Touchpad was released only a month or so ago.
I suppose you can probably get a Touchpad really cheap in the next month or so.
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What the he’ll. I just bought a touchpad. Not pleased.
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Yeah I just bought one too. Only for $200 though so I’m not too upset.
I highly recommend it if you guys can get it for cheap. The browser and email are pretty nice. UI for the email app is the best I’ve seen. Basically for email, browsing, pdf and rss reading the Touchpad is pretty decent.
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I guess we now know the main reason behind HP’s decision to buy Palm, it’s mostly for their patents. HP never was and never will be a software company. It’s all about the hardware it makes. WebOS is probably the least of their worries.
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You don’t have a clue – applying a current situation to HP’s decision a while back. For them it wasn’t patents – they thought they could be an Apple – full vertical – see the rest of their portfolio and history to see HP has always looked for this opportunity.
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HP was producing iPAQ from the Compaq buyout and figured they could replace them with this new product as WM6 was dying out anyway nad it was their bigest competitor.
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I can see RIM making a bid to buy Palm from HP just for the patents.
RIM has the cash, and they could use some good elements from webOS in their QNX OS.
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OK, this my best Gomer Pyle voice…….Surprise, surprise, surprise!
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That’s funny, just hilarious. I called webOS DOA when it was released on the TouchPad last month, I called it DOA when HP recently dropped it’s prices for the second time in a month, and lo and behold HP has officially killed webOS (they say they’ll license it, but what competent organization would pay for an OS that the great HP can’t even sell). Those who point to licensing out Android as proof that tactic will work have no idea what they’re talking about (at the time, other than Apple, Android was the ONLY alternative so what else would you develop software for). I had a conversation just the other day with a salesperson at London Drugs about the TouchPad and he tried to justify the price drops as HP trying to compete on price point. Unfortunately when I asked him straight out how sales were, he totally dumbed down and couldn’t back the device.
I have to say I loved the form factor of the TouchPad (good size, easy to handle) but the webOS was a total non-starter. It had no future (figuratively, and now literally). Android is nice for phones, but as a tablet OS it’s causing too much fragmentation in the Android ecosystem. For those wanting a non-Apple tablet, you HAVE to wait for Windows 8 to be released next year. One OS that’ll run on tablets, netbooks, laptops, and PCs. You only need to get one app to rule them all, not an app for your iPod/iPhone or Android phone and another for your iPad or Android tablet. Windows 8 will be great for developers, as well as consumers, as it’ll make the software ecosystem consistant across all platforms.
I’m a big fan of HP as most of the PC devices I own are HP. My issue was with the TouchPad and the webOS and today my opinion of those items were confirmed, despite all those who gave a thumbs down to my previous opinions on the subject.
Out.
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Don’t forget Ice Cream Sandwich (android 4.0) is suppose to be released this coming October (according to a mobilesyrup post earlier today) and Ice Cream sandwich is suppose to be the platform that unites tablet and cell phone android platform.
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Ice cream sandwich will be DOA
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A real shame that HP bought Palm. Everyone knew that was doomed to failure the day it was announced. Palm was innovative and HP is not. What would HP bring to the table for Palm, other than money? Nothing. And now, owned by HP, the value of Palm and webOS is nothing. No one will license it from them. No one worth noting anyway.
RIM, you blew it. You had the chance to buy Palm and all the patents and IP and you blew it. You let HP buy them and now all the valuable IP is locked up doing nothing.
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Palm was already dead when HP bought it. That’s why they bought it, because they thought it was cheap.
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RIM didn’t blow it. I’m willing to bet they can buy Palm now for a lot less than hp paid for it.
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another one bites the dust
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RIM is next to die!
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@Chong Fung
You have no idea what you’re talking about. RIM is doing well in the international markets. Their playbook has recently been declared secured enough to meet the US government FIPS 140-2 certification. Apple has reportedly applied, but never received said certification.
In the US, from a single hardware manufacturers perspective, they are second only to Apple (28%). HTC (14%) is the closest to its market share, being as successful as it is, HTC still has 6% less market share compared to RIM (20%).
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ain’t that a kick in the head!
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not so fast, declaring RIM dead is premature since it is the only one that has been certificated different countries as the only secure enough to handle critical government data.
It might not win the the consumer battle but in the corporate world security is paramount and that’s where rim reigns. Besides, maybe rim is slipping here in NA but it is eating Nokia’s lunch everywhere else in world
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what the hell is this? the only good phone on the market that is fun and professional is going bye bye? What is better than webOS? RIM is crap, apple is a toy, and android is between. I want my webOS!!!!!
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A very sad day. WebOS is easily the best mobile OS available, but it has been managed into the ground, first by Palm and now by HP. Pathetic marketing, poor handset design, a complete lack of vision and terrible execution are just the tip of the iceberg. With any luck another mobile company like HTC or Samsung will license or buy WebOS and make the best in class handsets that will match the best in class OS
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Don’t suppose HP ever heard of the Avro Arrow? (This is a Canadian forum after all)
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Not the same.
HP will likely sell Palm along with the patents and other goodies.
Avro ended up burning all documents and destroying anything related to the Arrow.
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R.I.P. WebOS.
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Why are you quoting someone quoting HP.
Are you not capable of getting news from the source?
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Great software, but my oh my what poor hardware it was running on. The Pre didn’t have the best hardware neither did it have a very useful keyboard. Drop the software onto a more usable form factor such as a slate-like device and we’re in business.
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