August 19, HP announced that they will kill its WebOS operation. This decision will affect their TouchPad tablet and smartphone.
Less than two years after it acquired Palm, HP released its webOS based smartphone HP Veer, HP Pre3 and tablet TouchPad on “Think Beyond” this February. We can learn from their strategy that HP managers are ambitious on Palm’s Linux-based WebOS operating system.
HP once announced on May that they are going to make the “numberoneplus” tablet. Obviously, at least in that time, HP puts great hopes on their TouchPad. They hope their products can rank Number One in the Tablet market. www.itgeeg.com
However, on August, months after HP release TouchPad, HP decreased the sale price of its TouchPad. And the off is up to $100. It’s 16GB version just sell at a price of $399 and $499 for TouchPad 32GB version. While the releasing price is $499 and $599 for different edition.
But the big deal can’t save HP’s WebOS TouchPad market performance. As their are so strong competitors like Apple iPad or Android Tablet, HP’s TouchPad seems weakness. HP invested much money to spread its WebOS products. But the profit can not equal to its cost.
Now HP, finally, make decision to discontinue its WebOS products. HP published the decision to shut down all WebOS related department the same time they published their Q3 financial report. HP is set to announce the acquisition of U.K.-based e-discovery and storage provider Autonomy. It shows HP is going to turn to a partially software company.
As for a result, HP have decreased its price of HP TouchPad on sale. The big sale of HP TouchPad is coming. 16GB HP TouchPad is now selling at a price of $99 and 32GB edition is $149. Now you can purchase the cheapest TouchPad at Amazon( 16GB HP TouchPad or 32GB HP TouchPad). HP touchpad $99 is now available on Canada best buy.
Since HP stopped is Tablet business, the tablet market entered the time of Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, BlackBerry PlayBook, Motorola Xoom and Android Tablets. Amazon tablet will be another great potential competitor.