Will HP's New CEO Cancel Plans to Spin Off PC Business?
Hewlett Packard made some major (and controversial) moves under the leadership of Leo Apotheker, the CEO that was just ousted. You have Mr. Apotheker to thank for your $99 TouchPad (and to curse for abandoning webOS hardware). He initiated a $10.3 billion cash acquisition of a U.K. software maker. But arguably his biggest move is in convincing HP's board to either spin off the company's Personal Systems Group business or sell it to the highest bidder. Now that Meg Whitman is taking Mr. Apotheker's place as CEO, is there any chance HP will keep its PC business, which is the biggest in the world?
According to reports, the answer is yes. Taiwan news and rumor site DigiTimes claims to have heard from "notebook makers" that there's a good chance HP will pull an about-face and hold onto its PC business. They also say HP is expected ship up to 38 million notebooks by the end of the year, and no less than 37 million.
HP needs to make a decision sooner rather than later. DigiTimes says some of its channel partners are starting to shift operations towards other brands, like Acer, Asus, Dell, and Lenovo. If HP were to call off its plans to sell or spin off its PC division, notebook makers say HP would again have the full attention of ODM partners like Quanta, Wistron, Foxconn, and others, as well as restore confidence among consumers.
So what will HP do? That's still being decided. On one hand, Ms. Whitman has already come out and said she's "supportive of the actions that were announced on August 18th," but also said HP is still exploring a possible spin off and will make a decision by the end of the year, if not sooner.
What do you think should do?
According to reports, the answer is yes. Taiwan news and rumor site DigiTimes claims to have heard from "notebook makers" that there's a good chance HP will pull an about-face and hold onto its PC business. They also say HP is expected ship up to 38 million notebooks by the end of the year, and no less than 37 million.
HP needs to make a decision sooner rather than later. DigiTimes says some of its channel partners are starting to shift operations towards other brands, like Acer, Asus, Dell, and Lenovo. If HP were to call off its plans to sell or spin off its PC division, notebook makers say HP would again have the full attention of ODM partners like Quanta, Wistron, Foxconn, and others, as well as restore confidence among consumers.
So what will HP do? That's still being decided. On one hand, Ms. Whitman has already come out and said she's "supportive of the actions that were announced on August 18th," but also said HP is still exploring a possible spin off and will make a decision by the end of the year, if not sooner.
What do you think should do?
