The more I read and think about HP’s announcement for “full or partial separation” of it’s PC group, and it’s plans to “discontinue operations for webOS”, the less it seems to make sense.
If HP really believe that the PC market is being eaten by the “tablet effect”, it could make sense to spin-off the PC group. Why invest time and effort in a shrinking, low-margin business.
However, if that’s the case, doesn’t it make more sense to stay in the tablet market, with what most observers believe is the best challenger to iPad, and make it successful? Sure, you will need to invest heavily to really take-on Apple, but it isn’t exactly a crowded market at the moment.
Even if you are still adamant that you want to discontinue webOS but look for licensing opportunities, why announce it in such a heavy-handed manner that developers (the lifeblood of any consumer platform) are sure to walk away. That’s just ensuring the failure of any attempt to license it.
All very strange, but there must be some rational explanation, no?