HP commits itself to webOS smartphones after all

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HP CEO Mark Hurd certainly stirred the pot yesterday when he said that “we didn’t buy Palm to be in the smartphone business” and that puring money into developing webOS smartphones “doesn’t in any way make any sense.” Well just like we predicted, HP’s PR machine went into damage control mode this evening. Here’s the statement they just sent out clarifying what it was Hurd meant.

When we look at the market, we see an array of interconnected devices, including tablets, printers, and of course, smartphones. We believe webOS can become the backbone for many of HP’s small form factor devices, and we expect to expand webOS’s footprint beyond just the smartphone market, all while leveraging our financial strength, scale, and global reach to grow in smartphones.

We’re certainly glad that’s settled.

21 Comments
  • John

    Flip-Flop

    • http://cyberbulletin.wordpress.com/ Jouten

      Must be a democrat! (-1) [I know, I know...]

    • Robert

      No, not Flip-flop. I said this on another blog yesterday. CEO’s have their own speak, you just have to know what they mean. By reading “we didn’t buy Palm to be in the smartphone business” I did in no way think they weren’t planning on making phones. I hear “we didn’t buy Palm JUST to bet in the phone business, but also to use WebOS in other form factors”. Which is what he meant.

      CEO’s have this way of talking to their people and they usually understand whats he/she is saying. Its a kind of short hand in a way. The problem with it is they make comments like that to the media and the don’t understand what he really means so they print a story like what was written yesterday. CEO’s should all have publicists that translate what they say into what they really mean.

  • DK

    LOL at the CEO.

  • Frank

    WebOS for printers… Kind of sad, and rather expensive purchase, but you watch that’s all they bought it for.

  • Kal-El

    I cannot WAIT to see my next webOS phone… now I’m all giddy again… this internet thing is stressing me OUT!

  • jt

    tooo late.jerk…evo tomorrow

  • MikeD

    They need to commit themselves to making apps and peripherals for the iphone/ipad. That’s the only way they can still make $$$$$

    • MikeD

      Nice try idiot. Stop using my name.

      And they actually should propagate WebOS on their plethora of devices, including printers and the upcoming tablet.

      BGR PLEASE ADD LOGIN TO COMMENTS

  • Robert

    Am I the only one who didn’t misinterpret what they meant by the statement yesterday?

    • Robert

      I guess us Roberts must think alike. I know what he meant.

  • SKINNI

    Yea looks like someone might not see a huge Christmas bonus! I didnt believe that statement at all yesterday. If theyre going to continue to make smartphones why wouldnt they capitalize on their now in-house OS? Otherwise it would be like Ford sticking a HEMI in a Mustang! HP nor Palm are viable in the smartphone game anymore but maybe the combo of them very well can be

  • It was

    It was nice palm…if they could only licence webos to other phone makers. I would be elated

  • Rick D

    HP attempting to appease Palm customers. HP will not pursue smart phone hardware. The first statement was accurate and correct.

    • http://cyberbulletin.wordpress.com/ Jouten

      ^ We were just Rick Rolled ^

    • Gauntlet Down

      HP appears to be in brush-fire appeasement mode. The other day with the CEO saying “others” don’t get it (“doesn’t resonate”) and now with PR saying “We’re into smartphones!”. Reads to me like HP is getting thorough heat from their own stockholders on this outrageously high-cost purchase of an OS that has MUCH cheaper alternatives available.

  • tim

    I don’t read that as commiting itself to smartphones….merely backpedaling a bit that smaartphones are part of an overall ecosystem….ill still believe it when I see it…

  • Chancellor

    Hp managment at it’s finest.

  • http://ecuteent ruben

    M.F.H.P!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT MY $199 I PAID FOR THE FREAKING PALM PRE SO I CAN BUY THE ONE AND ONLY HTC!!!!!!!!EVO!!!!!!!!!!

  • TrojanFan

    “puring money into developing webOS”

    Seriously BGR?… puring? Do you guys proofread anything you write before hitting the “submit” button? It’s pretty ridiculous how many of your posts have gross misspellings and grammatical errors. I’m not expecting high prose for a tech-focused website, just some basic proofreading. It makes you guys look like the amateurs that I’m beginning to think you are. There’s so much potential here being wasted. Hopefully, with the recent acquisition you can hire an editor or maybe just a basic spell check program.

  • http://www.usbphoneworld.com/ hp ac adapter

    my laptop is HP~We’re certainly glad that’s settled.

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