HP not making Windows Phone 7 devices, focusing on webOS instead
By Nilay Patel 
posted July 24th 2010 4:03AM
posted July 24th 2010 4:03AM
That's a big ouch for Microsoft -- it has to sting when your biggest customer turns its back on your fledgling mobile efforts -- but we can't exactly see HP spending a billion dollars on Palm only to turn around and support multiple platforms. There is a small silver lining for Microsoft, though -- Bradley also reiterated that HP's tablet plans aren't so locked in, and once again hinted that the Windows 7-based HP Slate has become an enterprise product, which is at least better than being killed off entirely. Lose some, lose some slightly less, we suppose. Full video after the break -- the good bit starts around 5:20.Q: Can you make webOS successful with developers when you're selling Windows Phone 7, maybe Android or Linux at the same time?
A: We continue to be Microsoft's biggest customer, and we continue to believe we will drive innovation with Microsoft. At the same time, I think it's clear to say, that we're very focused on the customer, and giving the customer the experience that's important to them. We won't do -- will not do a Linux / Android phone. We won't do a Microsoft phone.
Q: So no Windows Phone 7?
A: We will continue to more broadly deliver the webOS-based phones that are in the market today, and Jon and his team have driven a strong roadmap for the future.
Q: So does that mean you're going webOS only for phones?
A: For smartphones it does. Our intent is to focus those resources and really make webOS the best OS it can be.
I just think this is just HP trying to offer an alternative since they know that in phones they cannot compete with the pace of HTC, Samsung, LG and now Dell. Also, they bought Palm, so they need to try it at least. WebOS is nice, but again, OS is not UI, any OS could have the UI of WebOS. Instead of bringing another OS to the market, with no developers or apps, they should have taken say, Android OS, and skin it with an UI similar to WebOS, in a similar way HTC has skinned Windows Mobile with Sense UI. That way you keep the advantage of the UI, and the compatibility with applications.
HP acquired Palm and is doing something with it; can't blame them for concentrating on WEB OS as opposed to WP7 and Android. As for Microsoft they just entered into a deal with ARM
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012435421_microsoftarm24.html
good all patches and things will work well! and who needs windows 7, webOS FTW. don't forget to "jailbreak" your Pres' for free paid apps @ http://www.webosbuzz.com
All we need now is new hardware...i wonder will they use the models that were previously planned for windows 7.
Yes! WebOS is not dead!
Fair enough.
As for the last paragraph.. basically what everyone else is saying.
Who needs WindowsPhone7?
?
nobody
WebOS has a lot of potential as a mobile platform, they just need the hardware support and carrier support(should try being in all 4 carriers). They also need to advertise themselves to become as popular as Android and iOS.
I don't think this would hurt MS's Windows Phone 7 much, besides they probably saw it coming. Windows Phone 7 will be a hit or miss IMO, so its smart for HP to explore to hidden potential of WebOS. Not to say i don't see Windows Phone 7 being in the top 3, much, I'm not getting my hopes up either.
Let's see, in the last 60 days...HP buys/partners with --> HP gets
Palm --> WebOS, mobile device operating system
Phoenix's Hyperspace --> Instant-On Booting
Vidyo (partnership) --> High quality teleconferencing / video chat
Melodeo's nuTsie* --> Music streaming service
Boston-Power batteries (2009 partnership) --> Longer lasting battery
Snapfish (2005 acquisition) --> Photo publishing and printing
Motionbox --> Video publishing
Sounds like the making of some super cool mobile devices.
* Notice how 'nuTsie' is a scrambling of the word 'iTunes'? :-)
@rlopin great info. HP could be on the move. Hopefully HP will leverage all of these technologies and make some very robust services for WebOS.
So out of ALL the those 2 spoke about, the story you pick out of that is "HP not making Windows Phone 7 devices"? First off how is this surprising and he also said they aren't doing Android either... why target MS in this? WP7 still has just about all the other major players, and it will only run their own software so why is this a big deal to Engadget?
@timotim
It bodes badly for Microsoft if it's biggest customer is not jumping aboard the windows phone 7 ride. They have also already confirmed they also will not be buying a ticket to the windows tablets for consumers party.
How long until tablets for business plans also include webos, and then maybe even touch screen pcs could be running webos.
Basically MS biggest customer has decided it no longer needs it for all of its future devices - which means not only does a future version of webos have a chance to displace windows on HP business devices, but so does android, chrome etc....
@Kiwipoweredkiwi LOL... your a fool if you think HP is going to replace MS for "all of its future devices". Did you even listen to the interview? He said that they will continue to partner with MS for enterprise, not doing so would devastating to HP... no body in the enterprise world uses WebOS in good numbers. HP will also continue to do desketops, netbooks and laptops.... it only makes sense that they at least try to put something out in tablets/phones for heir huge investment in Palm... why wouldn't they. Also, HP is MS's biggest customer, however, their NOT in the phone market which is what this article is about. No one thinks HP when thinking of WM6.5... we think HTC (they are fully behind WP7), HP will try to build their phone market from scratch... they haven't done anything for WM latley... thats the whole in your argument. Now had HP been one of WP7 premiere players and had a history of making compelling business and consumers touch phones, you might have had one.
@timotim
You misinterpret what I meant.
To clarify, hp current products use windows - and I have no doubt most of their laptops & desktops will for quite a while longer.
However for new products in the emerging, quickly growing markets of smartphones and consumer tablets - Microsoft is nowhere to be seen on the worlds biggest hardware vendor.
In other words: Microsoft Is doing very well where the ball currently is, but is losing position on where the direction that the ball is quickly heading in.....
@Kiwipoweredkiwi
Get back to me when HP makes a relevant phone before we start lamenting their loss as a WP7 partner. Seriously, HP has done NOTHING in the smartphone space for years now. And given that they just dropped a billion dollars on Palm this isn't surprising in the least.
As for tablets, etc ... aren't you getting ahead of yourself? The core of HP's business is enterprise and consumer desktop/laptop. Those will all continue to run Windows. Tablets "might" run WebOS but there's not firm confirmation that HP is moving down that route. My guess is that they'll roll out of a few models with WebOS and see how it sells. If it's the commercial success that we saw with the Palm phones then HP tablets will be running Windows in no time.
I can promise you that this announcement did nothing to MS. They weren't expecting HP to be a launch partner after the acquisition of Palm. Now, if we are talking about HTC ... then that's a different story altogether.
@bjsguess
HP confirmed that HP slate with windows will only be shipped in small quatities for on spec purposes to business customers and that their consumer tablet oferings will not be windows based devices but webos based.
@Kiwipoweredkiwi You are missing the point brother.... in this case HP is a non factor for the simple fact that they have NEVER been a major player to MS in the WM6.x space like an HTC or Samsung has. Nor were they ever featured by MS for WP7 since its announcement. HP is a 3rd party company... them not being on WP7 is no surprise considering they spent over a billion on Palm. However, if you insist its a big deal for MS, than its also a big deal for Android as they would have gotten a phone from HP as well if the deal didn't go down. You are trying to make something that never was an issue... MS didn't have HP in this space before... why is it major that they still don't? HTC, Samsung, LG, Asus, Dell and others will take WP7 to the level it needs to be... the fact that HP isn't, is neither here nor there.
smart move HP
read the tea leaves microsoft
Lost in the shuffle here is how good webOS is. I own a Pre, a Touch 3G and an iPad and I frequently say to myself, "I wish that this worked like my Pre"--especially multitasking and swipe to change apps in particular. WebOS kind of reminds me of the efficiency of the Commodore Amiga OS back in the day that could multitask with 512 Kb of RAM (not a typo). That is, really good shite.
Nilay,
I wonder if HP had announced that they would be shipping WP7 phones, the second paragraph would have read "That's a big ouch for WebOS (or Palm)"? See no matter how this would end up, somebody has to lose. In this case both Microsoft loses, but they are not losing a lot. HP may be Microsofts biggest customer, but it hasn't been a big customer of WinMo in years.
Honestly, I'm not sure if Microsoft will have a hit with WP7, but I have even less confidence that HP can spin WebOS into a success. With the exception printers, HP doesn't do anything well in the consumer space on its own.
@BAGAGT1
Well they did manage to sell a lot of HP branded iPods.....
Go figure.
@Kiwipoweredkiwi
Yep, Apple made them, put a little HP logo on it.
You misinterpret what I meant.
To clarify, hp current products use windows - and I have no doubt most of their laptops & desktops will for quite a while longer.
However for new products in the emerging, quickly growing markets of smartphones and consumer tablets - Microsoft is nowhere to be seen on the worlds biggest hardware vendor.
In other words: Microsoft Is doing very well where the ball currently is, but is losing position on where the direction that the ball is quickly heading in.....
Screw you hp. Why the f* would I need a toy. If I needed one I would buy an iPad. I need something i can use both at work and home. Down to exopc I guess... :(
"For smartphones [we will only use WebOS]"
Prepare to see WinPhone 7 on an HP branded GoPhone sometime soon then?
Web OS tablet please!
I love iOS, but webOS is definitely my second choice. It's really a great product, and I'm glad HP isn't letting it die. That said... HP being HP, I can't imagine them not screwing it up somehow.
Apparently a top Microsoft executive was summonsed to Ballmer's office. Ballmer had a little chat with the guy and he then became head of software at HP. ... I wonder what will happen next?
This will be very interesting. I recently saw HP were looking for a new person in-charge of Industrial Design. Let's hope this brings a change to a company which I saw as quite serious and not fun.
I hope they really polish and use webOS for their products and HP start making more bold design moves - to move closer to Apple than Dell. Time will tell.
I can't believe HP is going to try to make a 'go' out of webOS. I thought it was a stupid decision to acquire Palm, and I think it's going to cost them. But they seem to think they can make it in the smartphone market. I have my doubts...
Great! I loved their WinMobile 5-6.5 devices, and always wanted to try out WebOS. Cudos.
I only just saw this post, but there are some interesting comments here. My take is that currently the only two touch enabled OS's that businesses are likely to adopt are the iPads IOS and Win7... the reason I say that is that neither Android or WebOS support a decent level of security - at least not without third party software. Hell even Google has had added the ability to apply Exchange ActiveSync policies in Google Apps, and yet Andriod still doesn't support encryption.
Obviously HP can't use IOS, so they can either wait until WebOS is updated or ship a Win7 box. That said, I'm quite looking foward to trying one out. Converable tablet PC's are great - I use one every day - but given the choice I'd rather have a slate to work from.
If you're interested I posted some other thoughts here: http://refraction.co.uk/blog/2010/07/25/hps-windows-7-slate-tablet-lives-on/
Oops... wrong thread... :) Move along... nothing to see here! :)
This pleases me.
Viva la webOS
"We won't do -- will not do a Linux / Android phone." Web OS is Linux!
um...good?