Most of us won't be shocked at the news but HP has finally
admitted that its tablet venture is not going well. The company has pulled the
plug on both HP TouchPad and Pre 3. In fact, HP has entirely abandoned webOS.
However, it stated that, "HP will continue to explore options to optimise the
value of webOS software going forward." Though, we wonder how this "optimize the
value" is going to happen as it has stopped working on all the WebOS devices.
While we mourn the demise of WebOS, but the decision to let
it go is fairly pragmatic. The operating system had its fans, but in the world
of Android and iOS, it was not able to carve a niche for itself. This also led
to the paucity of developers for its app store. The company also said that "The
devices have not met internal milestones and financial targets.”
Right on the heels of Google-Motorola deal, HP also
announced that it has acquired software services provider Autonomy Corporation.
HP expects the deal to help it in expanding its cloud based offerings. In the
near future, the company may also contemplate spinning off its Personal Systems
Group, which is responsible for its mobile and personal computer business. HP
is undertaking a massive restructuring endeavor. Let's see how markets react to
it.