HP considering sale of webOS to 'several' companies including Oracle
PC maker HP is said to still be considering the sale of its webOS mobile operating system, though any deal is expected to be less than the $1.2 billion it originally paid to acquire the platform from Palm.
Citing four anonymous sources, Reuters has said that HP is evaluating the sale of webOS for a price that could fetch hundreds of millions of dollars. While "several" companies are said to have expressed interest, Oracle Corp is said to be among the most likely buyers.
The report said that HP is being advised by Bank of America Merrill Lynch as it weighs the pros and cons of keeping webOS or selling off the software. Neither HP or Bank of America would comment.
HP bought Palm in April of 2010 for $1.2 billion, an investment made largely to acquire the webOS platform that powers smartphones like the Palm Pre. The webOS mobile operating system was then updated to run on tablets, as HP hoped to compete with Apple's highly successful iPad.
But HP's first and only webOS-based tablet device, the TouchPad, failed to gain any traction in the market, and the PC maker opted to abandon the device, clearing out inventory with a $99 fire sale.
Since then, HP fired its CEO Leo Apotheker and brought in a new chief executive, Meg Whitman, who opted to reverse a decision by Apotheker and keep the company's PC business. However, Whitman did not change course on webOS, leaving the future of the mobile operating system in an uncertain state.
Since HP decided to ax future webOS-based hardware, a number of potential buyers have been rumored, though a deal has not yet been made. Among those who were said to be considering a bid were Samsung and HTC, two of Apple's biggest competitors in the smartphone market.
Both Samsung and HTC primarily build Android-based smartphones to compete with Apple's iPhone. But owning their own platform like webOS would allow either company to further differentiate themselves from other Android-powered devices, and to offer an integrated hardware-software solution that resembles Apple's strategy with iOS and Mac OS X.
Citing four anonymous sources, Reuters has said that HP is evaluating the sale of webOS for a price that could fetch hundreds of millions of dollars. While "several" companies are said to have expressed interest, Oracle Corp is said to be among the most likely buyers.
The report said that HP is being advised by Bank of America Merrill Lynch as it weighs the pros and cons of keeping webOS or selling off the software. Neither HP or Bank of America would comment.
HP bought Palm in April of 2010 for $1.2 billion, an investment made largely to acquire the webOS platform that powers smartphones like the Palm Pre. The webOS mobile operating system was then updated to run on tablets, as HP hoped to compete with Apple's highly successful iPad.
But HP's first and only webOS-based tablet device, the TouchPad, failed to gain any traction in the market, and the PC maker opted to abandon the device, clearing out inventory with a $99 fire sale.
Since then, HP fired its CEO Leo Apotheker and brought in a new chief executive, Meg Whitman, who opted to reverse a decision by Apotheker and keep the company's PC business. However, Whitman did not change course on webOS, leaving the future of the mobile operating system in an uncertain state.
Since HP decided to ax future webOS-based hardware, a number of potential buyers have been rumored, though a deal has not yet been made. Among those who were said to be considering a bid were Samsung and HTC, two of Apple's biggest competitors in the smartphone market.
Both Samsung and HTC primarily build Android-based smartphones to compete with Apple's iPhone. But owning their own platform like webOS would allow either company to further differentiate themselves from other Android-powered devices, and to offer an integrated hardware-software solution that resembles Apple's strategy with iOS and Mac OS X.
Comments
Then you can spend money on the 1985 Yugo of mobile operating systems if you want.
Apple should just buy it.. For the patents and to keep it off competitors hands. Even take features from webOS and add it to iOS.
I second that. There are some good features in Web OS, the patents alone should be worth the cash to Apple.
It's not like they can't afford it!
Oracle? Would Larry Ellison compete with Apple?
Maybe they'll do it for the patents to kill Android
Oracle? Would Larry Ellison compete with Apple?
That is an interesting question. He and Jobs were BFFs. But don't forget these are just rumors.
Maybe they'll do it for the patents to kill Android
If the WebOS patents are so powerful, it is interesting that HP (or Palm, previously) has not used them to target anyone.
Meg Whitman is keeping the mature PC business and selling off assets in the exponentially growing mobile space. Is that the decision of a visionary?
No.
..
Hey, Oracle, don't take the bait. You just do your thing with Android and get that taken care of.
Then you can spend money on the 1985 Yugo of mobile operating systems if you want.
That's not at all fair. We have a TouchPad and it's not bad. In fact, it's quite promising - I like the way it works better than Android. It's more fluid and intuitive.
Granted, app availability stinks, but the system itself works great. It could actually be a good purchase for someone. I could see RIM buying it.
We have a TouchPad and it's not bad. In fact, it's quite promising - I like the way it works better than Android. It's more fluid and intuitive.
Granted, app availability stinks, but the system itself works great. It could actually be a good purchase for someone. I could see RIM buying it.
I agree with everything you stated except what I bolded. I am not aware of any plans to keep the OS updated on the TouchPad or to further the TouchPad line.
I know Google, Samsung, and HTC would push the DOJ to block an acquisition.
Apple should just buy it.. For the patents and to keep it off competitors hands. Even take features from webOS and add it to iOS.
I could see RIM buying it.
I can see that only because it follows the pattern.
Palm develops it, they go bankrupt and get bought.
HP develops it, their company gets torn apart and they consider even discontinuing their computers.
RIM?
Anyway, RIM's on the downward spiral right now, so they might not be in the buying anything game for a while.
I agree with everything you stated except what I bolded. I am not aware of any plans to keep the OS updated on the TouchPad or to further the TouchPad line.
Really? Cause we got an update to the OS a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, someone is still updating and providing new apps as well. As far as new TP's. Yeah, what we have is all we're gonna get.
And the TP has one thing in particular i really like and that is the use of cards. It is very Apple like and intuitive to swipe and click cards for moving in between apps.
A small minority of people keep mumbling about how much potential it has. The thing is, people have been saying that for years and it's had it's chance, more than once, and it has failed. The best thing to do is kill it completely. I am tired about reading about WebOS.
Worthless OS.
Have you tried it? Or are you talking about something that you have no clue about? I think it's the later. I own several ipads and a TP. The OS is far from worthless on the TP. Only reason i don't use my TP more is a lack of apps.