HP Discontinues TouchPad & WebOS Phones Due to a New Focus on Enterprise

By Nicole Scott
19 Aug, 2011 6:54 am

Its only been 16 months since HP bought Palm and now they have announced today that it will “discontinue operations for webOS devices by the end of Q4 2011 meaning that the Touchpad and webOS phones are over. The HP TouchPad might have been a disappointing device but that wasn’t because of the software, it was due to the hardware. WebOS is sleek clean and if you’re one to root for the underdog this is indeed a disappointing day.

Although HP’s press release says the company “will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward,” owners of the TouchPad and smartphones like the Pre 3 probably don’t have much to look forward to in terms of future development and support—at least from HP. In the earnings call today there was a bright note when HP confirmed that they would look to license WebOS which was something the industry thought would happen anyways due to the disappointing hardware.

HP is looking to spin off their “Personal Systems Group” (PSG) which includes the company’s desktops, laptops, hard drives, and webOS products. This confirms HP’s intent to get out of the hardware game and move in the direction of software and services. They have also announced that the acquisition of software firm Autonomy — is now official, which definitely advances HP’s position as an enterprise player… and moves it further away from the consumer tech business, too.

Via Thisis mynext