HP Unveils WebOS Tablet, Plans WebOS Computer

jfruhlinger writes "As had been expected, Hewlett-Packard unveiled new webOS-based smartphones and a webOS tablet today. But in a bit of a shock, the company also announced that webOS would be coming to HP PCs. Whether this is happening in specialized products only or HP plans a wholesale repudiation of Windows, it's definitely a bold move."

webOS devices that won't sell

[Anonymous Coward]

Nobody will buy these. Here's their current lineup:

• Original pre & pre plus, pixi & pixi plus: These are legacy paperweights which will not receive future updates (i.e. no webOS 2.0). All but confirmed by HP. They're hard to buy at retail (nobody is selling them) and they're yesterday's devices.
• Pre 2: Nobody will buy this when the Pre 3 is just around the corner. Oh yeah, and nobody sells these anyway (Verizon will start selling them in the next few days; SFR in France sells it already; who else?)
• Pre 3, Veer: Nobody will buy these in 6 months time, when there's competition from the iPhone 5 and half a dozen comparable Android devices.

• TouchPad: Nobody will buy these in 6 months time, when there's competition from the iPad 2 and half a dozen comparable Android devices.

What's particularly galling about the above, is that they're mistakes which Palm and HP have failed to learn from in the past:

• No webOS 2.0 for old devices. Yeah, thanks for building a community and supporting the guys who went out on a limb to buy your phones.
• 6 months between announcement and release. You've killed any momentum you may have had. Apple announces new phones every year like clockwork (and they're available soon after); Google announces new Android releases every few months; and you have nothing but promises.

Cool

[the linux geek]

If the price is right, I'll probably end up getting either the Veer or the Pre 3. Both of these look like really nice devices, and the OS is the nicest of the recent-generation ones I've used.

I think the long-term success of the platform really depends on how soon HP gets these out the door - "early spring" and "summer" are vague terms. If they wait until August for the Pre 3 and the TouchPad, I think they really lose an opportunity. If the Veer is out in March and the Pre 3 and TouchPad follow in June, HP's in good shape. The hardware's looking great and the OS is superior to almost anything out there right now; they just have to make it happen.

Re:webOS devices that won't sell

[the linux geek]

Why wouldn't anyone buy the Pre 3 and TouchPad when there's competition? Why do you think that people are still going to buy Android devices when there's competition from the iPad and iPad 2? Your logic seems disturbingly like Android troll logic.

Why announce now?

[gstrickler]

The products aren't finished, the OS isn't ready, and announcing now does absolutely nothing to slow down the iPad. The Moto Xoom is overpriced, which will self limit it's sales. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is notably smaller, different market segment. And no one else is actually shipping a competitor. A pointless pre-announcement with no pricing, insufficient product info, and no product for an unspecified number or months. Way to kill off sales of current WebOS phones and have essentially no impact on the competition.

Is HP trying to kill WebOS before it has a chance to succeed, or are they just clueless?

Re:webOS devices that won't sell

[Darkness404]

Because of price, features and companies who don't seem to hate their customers. Every iDevice costs quite a bit of money and isn't unlocked to work wherever. Not everyone is on AT&T or Verizon, nor can everyone afford to shell out $200 for the base model of the current generation of iPhone. The iPhone will never have a full hardware keyboard, despite the improvements made with software keyboard they will never match the accuracy and feel of a physical keyboard, anyone who wants a keyboard on their phone is going to have to get a non-iPhone. The iPad is ridiculously overpriced. I can get a decent laptop for $350 that will do more than a $500 iPad will do when it comes to actually getting stuff done, and I won't have to jump through silly hoops.

The point is, there are a ton of people who iDevices don't fit and Apple is never going to make them fit. So they are going to get their devices running Android/WebOS/etc.

Re:webOS devices that won't sell

[jo_ham]

"iPad ridiculously overpriced"

Right, which is why there are so many competing tablets of equivalent featureset coming in under the iPad's price...

Oh wait, the other thing, opposite to what I just said.

Everyone crowed about supposed price of the iPad in the speculation and hype up to its launch, and when the actual price was announced, everyone quietly revised down their "zomg it's overpriced" by several hundred dollars. As yet we *still * haven't seen a competitor come in at significantly lower (or even a little lower) cost. If it's so overpriced, there will be a ton of tablets at a much lower price point - so far, I have yet to see that. They're all around the iPad's price or higher.

Your point about "finding a tool that fits" is dead on though - despite iPhone and Android, there will still be people who buy these new WebOS devices (assuming they are any good) purely because neither the iPhone nor the Android ecosystem provides what that customer is looking for.

Re:webOS devices that won't sell

[Anonymous Coward]

You are highly underestimating this event. I would put it as beginning of the end of Microsoft dominance in PC business. The Apple has shown that Windows is not necessary, however, majority of buyers are in enterprise where Apple has low penetration and also Apple can't make low cost computers or provide enterprise level customization/support/consulting. If HP can make as cheap laptop using WebOS as they are making Windows one, then they have a serious chance of penetrating enterprise market. Here are few reasons:

-- Most enterprises now a days use web based apps for majority of their business. Only requirement is a browser like FF.
-- Windows have too many security issues. Since it was virtually everywhere, it is compatible with all viruses out there. For WebOS, they will have to start from fresh. Also, employees download lots of junk uncertified software. If HP locks down WebOS like iOS, then only HP app store apps can be downloaded and expectation is that like Apple, HP will screen and limit apps on its store.