HP Exec Is Having Second-Thought About Killing the TouchPad

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The HP TouchPad, which the company killed last week due to few sales and retailer rejections, might live again if the firm spins-off its PC manufacturing business, an executive in China said Tuesday.


“Tablet computing is a segment of the market that’s relevant, absolutely,” HP Personal Systems Group chief Todd Bradley told Reuters in China. Although he was in Beijing, it wasn’t to sell WebOS to the Chinese, the HP executive insisted. However, “a number” of companies have expressed interest in using the OS, he told the news agency. Samsung could be one of those eyeing the software. As we’ve reported, the handset and tablet maker is looking at WebOS to bolster its position against Apple.

HP is also walking back speculation that it might do an IBM, which sold off its personal computing business to Lenovo. “The numbers don’t support that that strategy works,” Bradley said, pointing to Acer’s first quarterly loss. Acer acquired Gateway in 2007.

Instead, the executive plans to lead a spin-off of HP’s personal computing division, a move that would “bring the ‘best value’ to HP shareholders,” according to Reuters. Any decision on HP’s next move could be known in December when the company’s board next meets.

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