HP's decision to cease production of webOS devices have been widely regarded as the final nail in the coffin of the operating system promising. Testimonials from HP on the future of application development webOS seems absurd in the current context. How, for example, continue with HP to promote the directory app webOS, which he promised to do when there are no units under which these applications can run? How developers even test applications?
The answer may lie in a complex restructuring Standing triangle formed by the legal entity webOS HP PSG (Personal Systems Group, HP business PC) and webOS. HP has not said exactly what he does with webOS. But the combination of the commitment to publicly express the operating system, while dismantling their own devices are highly under license. In fact, it is very compatible with it, and if HP just wanted to go to war with (or sell) patent pool would not Palm developers webOS more. HP has not hidden his interest in webOS license while still producing devices based on this operating system. As Switched On discussed last month, there is a long sad story chronicles the difficulties in building devices based on an operating system license of the company. In other words, the pursuit of two contrasting business models results from Apple and Microsoft in inherent conflict.
But it is connected to the next column webOS potential licensees (all still valid, except Motorola), which is calculated off of HP's PC competitors, it is not enough to stop the HP produced only a touchpad pointing device, and phones. If HP is really committed to webOS license this ecosystem consists of a number of different devices, PSG can not keep up as the HP PC business in competition with a number of potential licensees webOS. (However, Dell will probably still fall, because it competes with HP Enterprise Services).
Unless the restructuring of HP may have wanted otherwise, cataclysmic upheaval in the search for an income stream that can jeopardize the HP PC without direct competition in the mobile operating system with high-flying Google and Microsoft tenacious. But it would be a way for HP could make a difference in client devices - perhaps even greater variety of them - not directly in the company licensed low-margin, as it is with the PC.
If this is the master plan, however, is difficult to imagine how it could have been applied to inspire less confidence in three key elements of HP PSG webOS. Imagine if, for example, Nokia announced it would stop and Meegan Symbian aside without saying that it was the adoption of Windows Mobile 7? Whether you agree with the new course of Nokia, you can not even argue that it has been approved and widely disseminated.
Ideally, the order of how things should have fallen at HP:
HP continues to sell devices webOS, while telling prospective licensees in private that it's exciting for the consumer equipment market. "Also, how do you buy a PC company really successful?"
HP PSG is looking for a buyer or spins out. HP announced this decision after the finish line, to maintain clarity about the direction and ownership of the PSG.
HP announced that the PSG as a new company - or the company that bought the PSG - will be among the new licensees for webOS. If an HP PSG released webOS really did not want, because he chose to say, focus on Windows or 8 tablets were purchased by a company engaged in another mobile operating system, HP can still get along with ads other licensees and the continuum webOS Supported units would not be broken, as it is now.
Running is not as trivial as it seems, with each of the three parts of the webOS billions of dollars in investment triangle. But neither the licensing activity for himself, where HP has less experience who built devices. The first question: If HP can not make webOS devices achieve an efficient scale (capacity of the former CEO of Palm City Key Jon Rubinstein on acquisition), even after the "double", how is fired?
As it stands, while the HP webOS clear of output channels for licensing, the paths are now printed in low uncertainty in the developer, the light grows dimmer every day that WebOS - the soul of the group - saunters to find a new host.
