Why HP Killed Touchpad and Reason behind Discontinued WebOS

When HP announced its tablet, touch pad, no one expected to revolutionize the market, but like many others, was destined to live in the shadow of the iPad 2. The price was similar to its competence and quality, could cope with most of the competition without excel. But six weeks after its launch, something unexpected happened.

HP announced that it would be ending support for all devices with the operating system WebOS, including freshly baked, TouchPad, which led many businesses to reduce the price to get rid around the stock, from nearly $ 500 to a mere $ 99 in certain cases. Ultimately, this caused a strange phenomenon, where many bought the device because it was a bargain, but for another reason.

Is it worth having a device that has no support? Does this mark a before and after for the price of tablets? More importantly, why HP TouchPad killed?

And as we do these, we might also ask why HP insisted develop and launch a tablet with WebOS when he knew he was going to kill the first place? Why not choose another option, as Android? HP spent $ 1.2 billion dollars to buy Palm, enabling them to access the WebOS Operating System and create the tablet, now we wonder what made ​​this huge investment. Still, recent reports indicate that despite everything that happened, WebOS is not dead and will remain supported by HP, but certainly not its priority. Continues to develop and explore new business opportunities, such as licenses to hardware makers.

HP Web OS platform was always found toward the bottom of the race and hardly anyone had bought the touch pad for the same price if they could have a Android tablet or iPad 2. But the exaggerated discount made many of these people do with their own tablet with WebOS. You may not re-develop HP hardware, but considering that develop applications for WebOS is much simpler than for others, this could be a great opportunity for the forgotten operating system.

Another of the most relevant questions that came up was why do so many people interested in buying HP’s tablet when there are better options or already have an iPad? Because it is very rare to get a device from $ 500 for $ 99. It is a bargain, even if you do not plan to give much use. And the best thing that could happen in the market is that customers start to refuse to pay so much for a tablet. These devices are too expensive, especially considering the price you can get a netbook that does basically the same, and the HP tablet made it very clear. This could be one of the greatest achievements of the TouchPad.

Not to mention what this means for the competition, even the most powerful as Apple. Think of all those who were considering buying a tablet like the iPad, but for various reasons did not. Now they got one for $ 99 and are not planning to buy another for another several years.

Now, to answer the final question, why this cruel end to the TouchPad? During a conference, HP executives reported that sales of the device were abysmal. Below expectations, but that’s no reason not to give more than six weeks. In addition, around the web you can find excellent reviews of the device, both experts and satisfied customers who now do not know what to do. After a week of silence from HP came to list the reasons for this decision and mentioned “the dynamics of the market, significant competition and rapidly changing environment.” As the causes that led to the decision.

As the days pass, it is increasingly difficult to get a TouchPad. HP does not manufacture more and the few that if they left the stores were sold like hotcakes when prices fell to $ 99. And if you’re one of the lucky ones who got one and already you’re using to hold the door, do not despair, because it has little future beyond the support that you give the WebOS. Not only for what you can expect in the future operating system through other developers, but because they are being ports of Android and a couple of months will probably work just fine and all your problems are a thing of the past.

And this can be a real blow to all those factories tablets licensing Google’s operating system for your device, because many people just get a tablet with Android for $ 99. It is true, is not designed exclusively for the device, but will not be long until there is a decent port work with TouchPad and will be a very happy day for many users.

In short, we do not fully understand why HP made decisions that affect so hurry in a big business. Or why they did not give it a little over a month to the tablet to show their true potential.

To those who already own it, can enjoy installing Ubuntu on Touchpad or wait for proper Android port.

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