14 DAY TRIAL // In another turn of events, HP's webOS operating system is shown to definitely be an important part of its business plans, what with the outfit taking the decision to appoint a new executive.
If the tablet market did anything, it was persuade HP that it was a good idea not to let the webOS software, formerly belonging to Palm, to go to waste.
Though the slate segment is, at the moment, mostly divided between the iPad and Android slates, HP's TouchPad made a name for itself regardless.
In fact, HP is even designing a successor, one that will feature support for 4G wireless broadband and will show up in August.
Turns out that the company has now decided that a change in leadership is in order for the webOS research team.
While Jon Rubinstein will get a role in the area of product innovation within PSG (personal systems group), it is Stephen DeWitt that will become senior vice president and general manager of the webOS global business unit.
"As part of our investment in the future of webOS, we are working in lock step with the developer community, our channel partners and the start-up community to create an application ecosystem that delivers on HP's mobile connectivity strategy," said Mr. DeWitt.
DeWitt has been heading PSG Americas and will have to oversee the creation of a new global developer and independent software vendor program, among other things.
"With the successful debut of our first wave of webOS-based products, we are drawing on our deep executive bench to position the right leaders in the right roles to accelerate the long-term growth of webOS. Stephen DeWitt has a proven ability to build and scale organizations into global, multibillion dollar operations, and I am confident that he will take webOS to the next level,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president of personal systems group, and member of the executive board at HP.
“At the same time, we continue to leverage the core strengths of Silicon Valley icon Jon Rubinstein to apply his considerable talents across the PSG portfolio."