HP exec: TouchPad not aimed at dethroning Apple's iPad

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
An HP executive said Thursday that the TouchPad tablet is not meant to take the market away from the iPad and is instead aimed at the enterprise, while a new report claims Apple is set to overtake HP next year as the world's leading portable PC vendor, if iPads are taken into account.



TouchPad



Richard Kerris, HP's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, said in an interview with The Loop that the company doesn't see itself as being in a direct confrontation with Apple over tablets.



?We think there?s a better opportunity for us to go after the enterprise space and those consumers that use PCs,? he said. ?This market is in it?s infancy and there is plenty of room for both of us to grow.



?We think the world of Apple and have the utmost respect for their products,? he continued. ?It would be ignorant for us to say that we are going to take it [the market] away from Apple.?



The 9.7-inch TouchPad is set to launch Friday starting at $499. Early reviews of the device called it "mediocre" and "no match for the iPad 2," though they praised the tablet's attractive form factor and webOS's potential.







The company's non-aggressive strategy with the iPad takes a different tack from other tablet competitors. For instance, Motorola's ads for its Android-based Xoom tablet have portrayed iOS users as drones, while Research in Motion marketed its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet with the slogan "Amateur hour is over."



HP's entry into the tablet market has been much-anticipated because the company, much like Apple, developed both the software and hardware. WebOS was a "prized asset" acquired by HP last year when it bought Palm for $1.2 billion.



The world's largest computer maker touts webOS as being "built from the ground up for the Web." The TouchPad's Synergy feature, which coordinates multiple calendar, contact and photo accounts, is billed as a "true cloud initiative that's functioning today." Kerris pointed to the tablet's ability to operate in the cloud from day one and just work "out of the box" without being connected to a PC as evidence of HP's innovations.



When questioned about negative reviews of the device, Kerris said the issues would be fixed with over-the-air updates. ?As long as you have a plan, you?ll be fine,? he said.



Portable market share



Even as HP has declined to say it will take away the consumer tablet market from Apple, a new report suggests the Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker will soon dethrone HP as the leading global portable PC vendor.



Citing industry sources and market research firms, DigiTimes projected Apple will ship a combined total of 75 million notebooks and tablets in 2012. By comparison, HP is expected to ship 45-50 million notebooks in 2011 and is not believed to be able to compete with Apple for the top spot in 2012.



More specifically, the report speculates that Apple will ship 40 million iPads in 2011 for a 60 percent share and 60 million units in 2012 with a 75 percent share. Additionally, Apple is said to ship 15 million MacBooks in 2012. By way of reference, the company sold 3.76 million Macs in the March quarter, a 28 percent increase year over year.



Last year, analysts noted that reclassifying the iPad as a PC would push Apple past rival makers to give the company the top spot among computer manufacturers in the U.S.



Apple will untether the iPad from the PC later this year with the release of iOS 5. The next major upgrade to Apple's flagship mobile operating system has been designed with a "PC-free design" and should allow the company to eliminate the PC or Mac requirement currently designated for the iPad and iPad 2.



"Perhaps iOS 5?s paramount feature is that it?s built to seamlessly work with iCloud in the Post PC revolution that Apple is leading," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs earlier this month.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 55
    Whew. Good to know.



    Apple must have worried there, for a moment.
  • Reply 2 of 55
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    In their defense they could have could called it their tablet the TouchPadPodPro but didn't. Surely that's evident of something.
  • Reply 3 of 55
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    This is called a strategic retreat.



    "iPad? No, wait, wait wait... Who said we're competing with it? We're going after enterprise and 'consumers that use PCs'... which means we can avoid more judgement and bashing from analysts and the press for a little while, even though it's obvious our product is garbage". What's that? 'Consumers that use PCs' are also buying iPads? Can't be that many, right?".
  • Reply 4 of 55
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    In their defense they could have could called it their tablet the TouchPadPodPro but didn't. Surely that's evident of something.



    "TouchPad? Yeah, no relation to iPad. Totally... separate, no similarity, nothing to see here, move along now..."
  • Reply 5 of 55
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    An HP executive said Thursday that the TouchPad tablet is not meant to take the market away from the iPad and is instead aimed at the enterprise....



    Yup, because 'the enterprise' has not heard about the iPad much and besides, 'the enterprise' likes sluggish, heavy tablets with poor battery life and very very few apps.
  • Reply 6 of 55
    mac voyermac voyer Posts: 1,294member
    I'm confused. Wasn't it just days ago that HP made news saying that their tablet was better than #1: #1+? How do they go from that to not taking marketshare from Apple? Worse yet, did they just officially reframe the TP as an enterprise, rather than consumer play? Isn't that what companies say when they know they are going to fail in the consumer space?
  • Reply 7 of 55
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    Yup, because 'the enterprise' has not heard about the iPad much and besides, 'the enterprise' likes sluggish, heavy tablets with poor battery life and very very few apps.



    Indeed! That's why the PlayBook was so successful with "the enterprise". Oh, wait...



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac Voyer View Post


    I'm confused. Wasn't it just days ago that HP made news saying that their tablet was better than #1: #1+? How do they go from that to not taking marketshare from Apple? Worse yet, did they just officially reframe the TP as an enterprise, rather than consumer play? Isn't that what companies say when they know they are going to fail in the consumer space?



    Bingo. HP saw the initial reviews, and even before the darn TouchPad is released to the public they're already making, as I said, a strategic retreat. This is a train wreck in slow, slow, slow motion.
  • Reply 8 of 55
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Translation:



    "Our tablet sucks and got trashed in the reviews, so let's attempt to play the old 'for business users' card and hope everyone takes the bait."



    The question is: why get a WebOS powered tablet that someone f-ked up when business users can get an iPad, ready to go, with a complete, robust ecosystem already in place?



    Samsung tried this baloney with the Galaxy Tab Beta and then proceeded to unload a whole bunch onto unsuspecting consumers (suckers) and then cut them loose completely when they went back to do a redesign.



    Idiots.
  • Reply 9 of 55
    mac voyermac voyer Posts: 1,294member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    This is a train wreck in slow, slow, slow motion.



    That's the best kind.



    Members of the other communities wonder why they get their nose rubbed in it by Apple fans. It is due to statements like the one I alluded to above. Did HP really have to come out talking about how the TP was so much better than the iPad? Really? Did RIM have to come out crowing about how amateur hour was over? Really? Sew the wind; reap the whirlwind. I love watching these arrogant fools fall on their faces, just like they will enjoy Apple's demise if and when it finally comes.
  • Reply 10 of 55
    mac voyermac voyer Posts: 1,294member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    Translation:



    "Our tablet sucks and got trashed in the reviews, so let's attempt to play the old 'for business users' card and hope everyone takes the bait."



    This is the exact same thing they did with the Slate 500. Remember, it started out its life as a consumer tablet when introduced by Steve Balmer. Only after the iPad was unveiled and selling faster than they could be produced did HP decide that the Slate was actually an enterprise tablet. The WebOS tablet would be for consumers. Now that the WebOS tablet is the new Slate, where does HP go from here?
  • Reply 11 of 55
    akhomerunakhomerun Posts: 386member
    I was going to add some comment about this product in the enterprise but I see you all beat me to it.



    The iPad was an entirely new product class and everything trying to copy it still hasn't really made the same level of product. You might say that Android is a nearly equivalent experience to the iPhone, but the iPad is simply the kind of product that is very difficult to imitate and requires a better software library than your standard smartphone.



    Most tablets have been garbage because they rely on doing something different than the iPad, like having a smaller screen, which doesn't make sense because Apple got it right the first time. It's good that the TouchPad is at least a similar dimension.



    I highly suggest reading about the touchpad outside what amounts to an Apple fan site. The only thing really wrong with the TouchPad is the sluggishness and lack of apps for the moment.



    By purchasing Palm HP has the same level of software/hardware control that RIM and Apple do. It's up to HP to provide the goods, and I think they have some promising included software, but the iPad launch shows how Apple creates great software to showcase any new product and inspires 3rd party developers by setting a standard. iWork and GarageBand for iPad come to mind, as well as the long list of included apps. http://www.apple.com/ipad/built-in-apps/ Android 3.0 has basically flopped because of this same issue, because of how Google has become Microsoft in that they provide the OS and that's it. About all they provide is an email client, navigation (which is the only killer app they have), and random little experimental products like Goggles, which is cool, but incredibly useful yet.



    HP has fallen short here but has good ideas, like the way they structure their app store like a magazine. They have fallen short by not providing document editing software, etc. What the heck are you supposed to do with it?



    WebOS has a great interface and I can imagine it being even better on a tablet. It seems like HP just missed the target here by coming out with hardware and software that makes you want to wait until the second generation of their device. In contrast, the original iPad was literally only missing a camera (understandable because again, Apple literally invented this class of product)



    There is no incentive to buy another tablet besides an iPad. It is the cheapest, fastest, and has the best 1st and 3rd party software available; it's the thinnest, and highest quality (why should I buy a plastic HP when Apple has an aluminum construction?) While the iPhone has competent competitors the iPad has none and it doesn't look like anybody's getting any closer.
  • Reply 12 of 55
    roockaroocka Posts: 25member
    I wish these executives would say this, "we are not trying to compete with the iPad" BEFORE they get horrible reviews.. Now their lack of sales is "justified".
  • Reply 13 of 55
    akhomerunakhomerun Posts: 386member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mac Voyer View Post


    This is the exact same thing they did with the Slate 500. Remember, it started out its life as a consumer tablet when introduced by Steve Balmer. Only after the iPad was unveiled and selling faster than they could be produced did HP decide that the Slate was actually an enterprise tablet. The WebOS tablet would be for consumers. Now that the WebOS tablet is the new Slate, where does HP go from here?



    Yup, then they fail because they realize that "Enterprise" doesn't mean "we don't have quality standards"



    The most silly part of what HP is saying is when they talk about how they want to sell this to people connecting their tablets to PCs. In what way is the iPad not good at connecting to Windows PCs? They won't even have to connect their iPads to anything once iOS 5 comes out.
  • Reply 14 of 55
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    This is called a strategic retreat.



    "iPad? No, wait, wait wait... Who said we're competing with it? We're going after enterprise and 'consumers that use PCs'... which means we can avoid more judgement and bashing from analysts and the press for a little while, even though it's obvious our product is garbage". What's that? 'Consumers that use PCs' are also buying iPads? Can't be that many, right?".







    But it's sad HP lost this golden opportunity to compete in the tablet market.
  • Reply 15 of 55
    akhomerunakhomerun Posts: 386member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by roocka View Post


    I wish these executives would say this, "we are not trying to compete with the iPad" BEFORE they get horrible reviews.. Now their lack of sales is "justified".



    I can understand companies saying this, because it's not realistic to be able to knock off an 80%+ marketshare leader in a product category the company basically invented.



    There is an incentive to buy Android over iPhone for some people. You can get Android phones for less in some cases, or have more freedom choosing your wireless carrier. Android is a great platform for people who crave customization and a little extra freedom. My Android phone is a little low end, but I paid $150 and have a $25/mo no contract unlimited data/text plan. That's a nice advantage over the iPhone.



    But what incentive is there to buy any other product than an iPad? If you are going to plunk $500 down on a product like it, why would you buy a different one?



    The iPad is the:

    - cheapest

    - best

    - thinnest

    - highest quality (materials)

    - most "fashionable"

    product in its class.
  • Reply 16 of 55
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    I think we'll see HP start to bundle TouchPads free with laptop purchases in the VERY NEAR future
  • Reply 17 of 55
    akhomerunakhomerun Posts: 386member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by blackbook View Post






    But it's sad HP lost this golden opportunity to compete in the tablet market.



    It's not lost. WebOS is great and many of the problems of this device can be solved in software updates, mainly the sluggishness.



    I won't repeat things I have already said on this same thread but for the most part Apple doesn't come out with products that make you crave the next revision; HP should have taken more time to complete this product and created more software to showcase it. There's no rush - the iPad has a huge lead and if you want to compete with it you need to take your time and come out with something spectacular.
  • Reply 18 of 55
    akhomerunakhomerun Posts: 386member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by blackbook View Post


    I think we'll see HP start to bundle TouchPads free with laptop purchases in the VERY NEAR future



    Not realistic, but funny...They might do that if they plan to discontinue the product after making too many. With their low sales expectations I hardly think HP has ordered a lot of TouchPads.
  • Reply 19 of 55
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by akhomerun View Post


    Not realistic, but funny...They might do that if they plan to discontinue the product after making too many. With their low sales expectations I hardly think HP has ordered a lot of TouchPads.



    They're already giving away Pre and other webOS smartphones with laptops, so don't be surprised if they give away TouchPads to bolster sales numbers for shareholders. Like you said:



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by akhomerun View Post


    But what incentive is there to buy any other product than an iPad?



    Only incentive is if the product comes free or heavily rebated!
  • Reply 20 of 55
    blackbookblackbook Posts: 1,361member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by akhomerun View Post


    It's not lost. WebOS is great and many of the problems of this device can be solved in software updates, mainly the sluggishness.



    I won't repeat things I have already said on this same thread but for the most part Apple doesn't come out with products that make you crave the next revision; HP should have taken more time to complete this product and created more software to showcase it. There's no rush - the iPad has a huge lead and if you want to compete with it you need to take your time and come out with something spectacular.



    I agree webOS is a great well thought out functional OS. It has bugs, but it's got so many plusses, like intuitive functional multitasking, easy to access notifications, unique touch gestures, and an overall easy to use UI with quick simple access to all the features.



    If only HP/Palm could get a nice device out there to showcase the plusses of webOS and took the time to refine and polish it even more.
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