HP to discontinue webOS devices -- Pre, Veer, and TouchPad bite the dust
HP has just announced that they're killing off webOS devices, namely the Pre, Veer, and TouchPad -- or everything that competes with iPhone and iPad.
In addition, HP reported that it plans to announce that it will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward.
Derek Kessler, editor of our sibling site PreCentral.net pulls no punches:
So what does this mean? The statement was carefully worded to state that they're "discontinuing operations for webOs devices," not webOS as an operating system. If anything, this should add fuel to the second option we discussed earlier today when the shocking word of an HP breakup first surfaced: HP is more interested in webOS than devices. They tried to give it a go with hardware, but quickly realized that they weren't going to be able to make it work without massive long-term investment and commitment. So less than a year after acquiring all of Palm for $1.2 billion, we're looking at a hazy future for webOS.
My wish: Google buying Motorola to prevent against manufacturers turning away from Android leads at least one manufacturer with more savvy and stomach than HP to turn away from Android and towards webOS. An HTC ThunderBolt II or Samsung Galaxy S III with Cards and Synergy would be very, very interesting.
Keep your browsers locked to PreCentral.net for continuing coverage.
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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Apple or RIM needs to re-buy webOS, Apple could use it to make iOS even better. And RIM will have a modern smartphone os.
RIM is already dead in the water. There is no hope for them. Not as long as they keep having forign CEOs
You think RIM is failing because Lazaridis was born in Istanbul?
foreign CEOs!?! you do realize that RIM is a Canadian firm and their co-CEOs are also Canadian? I'm not fan of RIM (was once, went to rehab) but still...
Apple would buy only to get the developers who worked for palm to increase notifications thats about the only thing apple needed and they already improved this.
Sad...it's so much better than Android! They used the same failing form factor with the phones! How stupid was that?!!!
Right. Because all phones must have a puny 3.5" screen. Funny...
Reading specific subsets of what a person says is still considered a straw man
Guess you missed the sarcastic part in my comment.
Seems like it
I might get one once it's discounted down to 200 bucks
for sure! It would make a good cheap web browsing tablet for my parents.
single tear...
I know my webOS faithfuls are extremely upset now. I used to be one myself. Either license the OS or sell it off completely to another company willing to integrate webOS into something that is already in wide spread use. I know, it's easy to say Apple or Google but that might not be the case. I use an iPhone, but even I say it's better for competition if Microsoft can grab webOS away from HP. Anyway, still a sad, sad day in the tech world when great software is ruined due to poor marketing, hardware, and direction on general.
Idk then Microsoft would be stuck with it and people would expect them tto produce something with it. I think its too much of a hassle for Microsoft since even their own os they seem to only care about making money off andrid and not advertising their wp7
If anything Microsoft would want it for the patents so it could sue everyone
thats Apple. (or HTC)
Just depends. HP isn't willing to commit to webOS. Not just in devices. Who would want to license webOS if HP isn't willing to invest in core services to leverage? There's no ecosystem. And if anything, today's news finished off any app movement (if there was any).
Sad...the more robust players in the market, the better.
WebOS deserves to FAIL. They made the Palm pre to masquerade as an ipod and sync with itunes before they were blocked. They deserve to FAIL.
Is that you Steve? Let it go already, it's dead alright?
Sad to see it go. I had a Treo 650 & 680 before the iPhone. I loved Palm so much. When they went to HP i know it was a wrap! Hopefully someone like HTC or Samsung see this as an opportunity to move away from Google and Android since they bought Motorola. This is a game of chess not checkers. Google made a huge move that seems like its gonna burn all its partners. Now it's time for a handset manufacturer to step up and take control of its own destiny!
P.S. This would make for one hell of an article Renie)
they will still make android devices. Google will be stupid to make motorolla the only android maker.
Wonder how many 64G Touch Pads the French bought? What a waste. Web OS really could have been something. I am not a developer, but have high respect for developers. Without apps your tablet/Pad is not worth much. Even MS stated there will be an app store in windows 8. Some learn, some do not.
I guess you guys are going to get another iOS user ;l
I know you are used to locked down devices since you are coming from WebOS but when you are ready just take a look at the open source world. Make you device your own. It may be scary at first, but when you learn some of the customization options available you will never want to leave the open source world. Unless you and unimaginative and just want to play games and use your phone like the manufacturer wants you to then please by all means enjoy iOS.
There's so many freakin' Android phones, most of them look like UTTER CRAP they have terrible battery life and their UI looks like its running on a 100mhz processor, lord help me xD
And you just said all that I feel about Android!
and you UI comment is definitely evidence that you don't understand the true openness of Android. Don't like the UI? Change it. There are multiple launchers on the market that allow you to make your phone look just about any way you'd like (most for free). Changing the launcher doesn't work? Root and deodex your phone and install one of the many themes available. This will change the app drawer, status bar, and just about anything else the theme developer wanted to change. Still not happy go even more customized and install a custom ROM. Most devices have multiple custom versions of the OS that are anyway from basic Android Open Source Project OS builds to totally revamped and customized builds. Willing to learn Java/C programming? Go ahead and get the source code for the phone and make your own ROM. Once most people truly experience and understand open source there is no way they would choose a locked device.
Some people want the manufacturer to make the decisions for them so that they don't have to. Not everyone has time to think of a working UI concept, study it's usage in real-world, program it, debug, and iterate it as new software/hardware comes along. The point of buying a phone is that you are buying the design (technical and asthetic). Who with a real job and family can afford the time to do those things? You could argue that some hardcore enthusiasts would, just like how car enthusiasts will modify their car but what is the size of that market? And to be honest, I think it's a lot easier to slap silicon together (that was designed by another company btw) build some buggy framework, and say 'you do it' to the consumer, tricking them by using a current buzz-word (openess) for justification.
LMAO, You want me to learn a programming language for a PHONE? Do you even know what a freaking' phone is!? You use it for work! It's not a toy...webOS, you could customize the UI as much as you wanted through an app! HP even supported modifying your phone 100%! On Android you have to know if your phone has an unlocked boot loader, you have to jump through a sh*t load of hoops if you don't. It's just too much to get a phone to work how I want it to!
I guess iOS is definitely right for you then. iPhone are made for the people who want what is hip and today. You are obviously not a user who wants everything they can have out of a phone. You want to be cool and hip having the latest iPhone because its trendy. Android phones are much better for someone who wants everything they can get out of their phone. My Device can run circles around anything Apple comes up with because I have the power over it. I want the processor faster ok I will overclock it. I want a theme ok I will install one. I was a custom ROM ok I will install one of those. BTW my phone has a locked bootloader, but that doesn't stop the Android community. Also I have yet to use a "buggy" or broken OS version yet. If I were looking for that there are plenty of Beta builds out there. Every phone has its place and the iPhone and iPad definitely has a place for people who hear the commercials and thing "no I don't have an iPhone. Everyone at work/school/the gym/the bar have one so I need to fit in"
HTC sense 3.0 offera a bit more customazations
Sense is by far the best "skin" manufactures put on Android OS phones. One of the main reasons I learned how to modify my phone (spent that whole 5 minutes learning that one) was to get Blur off of my Motorola phone.
Unfortunately no Chris. I'm one of the only webOS device users at my school. Every one, I mean everyone has an iDevice. I want to be different, but i dont want the cost of being different inhibit me from using the thing! Im not trendy or anything, im a straight up geek! If you are willing to sell me on Android, give me the best device out there and how I can customize it!
How does a UI relate to the processer? I agree most of the hardware looks like crap as does stock android but HTC and hTc sense are about the best.
I agree with you Chris, Sense is about the best looking "skin" or whatever anybody wishes to call it for Android.
As for webos man, it is definitely sad.... and for CHRIS42060... dude, its just A PHONE, you really need to hold so much pride that you're an "android user"... you call IOS users trendy, YOU are following a trend too then... the trend of not following a trend, trying to "not fit in" is a form of trying fit it. So chill out man, get off your phone, and your computer... live a little
and if u do already... shit, live more... mind you, you came into an iPhone blog, to bitch about apple... and speak of god android. really?! XD jajajaja
Android sucks! And it's about as open as your ass! LMAO! So how open is that?!
Classy...
Please tell me you're not the typical iOS user....
Children./ Do I have to seperate you two?
Re: "An HTC ThunderBolt II or Samsung Galaxy S III with Cards and Synergy would be very, very interesting."
Yes. But it will take a year to do the deal, get the HTC and/or Samsung engineers up to speed on webOS and the current hardware setup. Then who knows how long to productize it in their own image. That's at least another year for iOS to put more distance between itself and everyone else.
Wow that was fast
Re: "An HTC ThunderBolt II or Samsung Galaxy S III with Cards and Synergy would be very, very interesting."
Erm NO. If they did use Web Os it will have a whole new name to not confuse people with the orgnall models.
Leave it to the canadians....
I blame Russell Brand.
somebody needs to buy webos who knows how to make a good product. HP f####d it up big time! Thank you HP!