The move marks a reversal of strategy for the world's largest computer maker. HP paid $1.2 billion in April 2010 to acquire Palm, developer of the WebOS software that powers its smartphones and tablets, in a bid to stand out in the mobile market. So says Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps, TouchPad's untimely demise "has as much to do with the commoditization of the PC business as it does with Apple."
So, what were some other pitfalls? Retail presence in particular has been a problem for HP's TouchPad. Selling at many big-box retailers, where many similar products can be found sitting side by side, makes it hard for PC makers to stand out. That runs in stark contrast to Apple's smooth retail presence, where iPads and iPhones get prominent display and unrivaled service. HP's TouchPad also didn't have the apps presence or a store, comparable to iTunes, that is necessary to drive consumer interest. At launch, HP boasted some 300 apps, compared with the roughly 90,000 that were available to Apple's iPad.
Although HP may have pulled the trigger a bit early, I think it goes without saying that the HP TouchPad truly is no match for the apple of Apple's eye.
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