HP bought Palm for the OS

HAWKER OF PRINTER INK that is more expensive than the elixir of life, HP CEO Mark Hurd said that when he wrote a cheque for Palm he was not interested in its smartphone business.

Speaking at a Merrill Lynch symposium, Hurd said he bought Palm for its software not its gadgets.

"The WebOS is one of the two ground-up pieces of software that is built as a web operating environment... We have tens of millions of HP small form factor web-connected devices... Now imagine that being a web-connected environment where now you can get a common look and feel and a common set of services laid against that environment," he said.

This means that it was a very valuable proposition for HP but might be a bit upsetting for Palm Pre owners and developers.

While HP is waxing lyrical about putting WebOS everywhere across its product portfolio, it also seems to be playing down the idea that it will end up on smartphones. Which, as Trusted Reviews points out, is exactly the last thing that a person who is thinking about buying a Pixi Plus or Pre Plus, which have just been launched in the UK, will want to hear.

It is also a U-turn from HP's position just five weeks ago, when HP executive VP Todd Bradley said, "The smartphone market is large, profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be a leader in this market."

The comment that WebOS is one of two web-based operating systems suggests that HP appears to be thinking of setting it up to rival Google's Chrome. µ