Digital Marketing News #114 - HP Halts Tablets & Phones, Best Buy HP Innventory, iPad Airlines
Friday, August 19, 2011-- Story #1 HP stops producing tablets and mobile phones, purchases software company Hewlett-Packard announced today that it will stop producing tablets and mobile phones. This announcement has shocked the technology world, as only one year ago HP made a billion dollar commitment to selling smart phones and tablets. However, declining sales and market competition from companies such as Google and Apple have forced them to re-strategize company objectives. Many sources are circulating rumors that HP is planning to sell their PC division as well. A HP press release alludes to this by saying, "the board of directors has authorized the evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Personal Systems Group (PSG), including the exploration of the separation of its PC business into a separate company through a spin-off or other transaction". HP Chief Executive Officer Leo Apotheker said yesterday, "we need to sharpen our focus...to be successful in the consumer device business we would have had to invest a lot of capital and I believe we can invest it in better places". Apotheker's goal is to transform HP into an enterprise business and move away from consumer products. The first step to accomplishing this goal was announced today. HP will purchase infrastructure software company, Autonomy for $10.25 billion dollars, which is further indication of the new direction HP will take with software development as the focus. While HP has caused somewhat of an earthquake in the tech world this morning, the changes are indicative of a new, more specialized company. HP still remains the biggest printing company and one of the largest makers of server, networking and data-storage systems. Story #2 HP tablet sales at 10 percent of inventory Due to continued innovation and widespread adoption in industries such as airlines, Apple's iPad has become the leader in the tablet industry. BestBuy reported this week that they are having trouble selling Hewlett-Packard's TouchPad, which was released two months ago. Popular electronics retailer, Best Buy reportedly purchased 270,000 TouchPads, and has only sold 25,000 so far, which is less than 10 percent of the inventory. Retailers such as Wal-Mart and Costco are also having trouble selling the device. According to All Things Digital, Best Buy is asking Hewlett-Packard to take back the TouchPad units they have in stores and in storage. The publication reports that, "Best Buy, sources tell us, is so unhappy that it has told HP it is unwilling to pay for all the TouchPads taking up expensive space in its stores and warehouses, and wants HP to take them back. Based on these reports, our next story comes as no surprise. Story #3 Flight industry embraces innovation with introduction of iPads Two major airlines, Delta and British Airways, are introducing iPads to their flight crews. Delta gave iPads to 22 pilots to use as electronic flight bags. Pilots will be able to easily obtain up-to-date flight plans, weather charts, paperwork, security updates, and even company emails. British Airways is offering iPads to their senior crewmembers for electronic seating charts, traveler information, and to help move passengers to connecting flights. One hundred crewmembers have tested the iPads and British Airways has plans to give iPads to all senior crewmembers in the coming months. These companies are embracing mobile technology to innovate the airline industry, making flights and crews more efficient and enjoyable. More at http://www.DigitalMarketingNews.biz Follow us on Twitter http://Twitter.com/ODM_Group Like us on http://www.Facebook.com/TheODMGroup
Friday, August 19, 2011-- Story #1 HP stops producing tablets and mobile phones, purchases software company Hewlett-Packard announced today that it will stop producing tablets and mobile phones. This announcement has shocked the technology world, as only one year ago HP made a billion dollar commitment to selling smart phones and tablets. However, declining sales and market competition from companies such as Google and Apple have forced them to re-strategize company objectives. Many sources are circulating rumors that HP is planning to sell their PC division as well. A HP press release alludes to this by saying, "the board of directors has authorized the evaluation of strategic alternatives for its Personal Systems Group (PSG), including the exploration of the separation of its PC business into a separate company through a spin-off or other transaction". HP Chief Executive Officer Leo Apotheker said yesterday, "we need to sharpen our focus...to be successful in the consumer device business we would have had to invest a lot of capital and I believe we can invest it in better places". Apotheker's goal is to transform HP into an enterprise business and move away from consumer products. The first step to accomplishing this goal was announced today. HP will purchase infrastructure software company, Autonomy for $10.25 billion dollars, which is further indication of the new direction HP will take with software development as the focus. While HP has caused somewhat of an earthquake in the tech world this morning, the changes are indicative of a new, more specialized company. HP still remains the biggest printing company and one of the largest makers of server, networking and data-storage systems. Story #2 HP tablet sales at 10 percent of inventory Due to continued innovation and widespread adoption in industries such as airlines, Apple's iPad has become the leader in the tablet industry. BestBuy reported this week that they are having trouble selling Hewlett-Packard's TouchPad, which was released two months ago. Popular electronics retailer, Best Buy reportedly purchased 270,000 TouchPads, and has only sold 25,000 so far, which is less than 10 percent of the inventory. Retailers such as Wal-Mart and Costco are also having trouble selling the device. According to All Things Digital, Best Buy is asking Hewlett-Packard to take back the TouchPad units they have in stores and in storage. The publication reports that, "Best Buy, sources tell us, is so unhappy that it has told HP it is unwilling to pay for all the TouchPads taking up expensive space in its stores and warehouses, and wants HP to take them back. Based on these reports, our next story comes as no surprise. Story #3 Flight industry embraces innovation with introduction of iPads Two major airlines, Delta and British Airways, are introducing iPads to their flight crews. Delta gave iPads to 22 pilots to use as electronic flight bags. Pilots will be able to easily obtain up-to-date flight plans, weather charts, paperwork, security updates, and even company emails. British Airways is offering iPads to their senior crewmembers for electronic seating charts, traveler information, and to help move passengers to connecting flights. One hundred crewmembers have tested the iPads and British Airways has plans to give iPads to all senior crewmembers in the coming months. These companies are embracing mobile technology to innovate the airline industry, making flights and crews more efficient and enjoyable. More at http://www.DigitalMarketingNews.biz Follow us on Twitter http://Twitter.com/ODM_Group Like us on http://www.Facebook.com/TheODMGroup