HP says no to Windows Phone 7

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HP has announced it has no plans to produce any mobile hardware using Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system, saying it will focus only on webOS, the platform it acquired when buying Palm earlier this year.

The company's smartphone's have been a regular feature on the Windows Mobile landscape, but when the five Windows Phone 7 launch partners were unveiled last week HP's name was notable by its absence.

And now HP executive vice president Todd Bradley has revealed why, telling Electronista that with the $1.2 billion deal to buy Palm now finally wrapped up, HP is throwing its weight fully behind webOS.

“Our intent is to focus those resources and really make webOS the best OS it can be,” Bradley said.

Bradley was quick to point out that the decision applied only to HP's smartphone division in the wake of the Palm acquisition, with HP focused on “giving the customer the experience that’s important to them”.

However, over the rest of its operation – he said – the company remained fully committed to its partnership with Microsoft. “We continue to be Microsoft’s biggest customer, and we continue to believe we will drive innovation with Microsoft,” he said.

Earlier this month, HP announced its plans for webOS including everything from “a robust smartphone roadmap to future slate PCs and netbooks”.

In January, however, the company was Microsoft's chosen hardware partner for a Windows 7-based tablet concept dubbed the Slate, which was announced by Steve Ballmer at CES. That project has now been restricted purely to an enterprise product, with the rumoured webOS-based PalmPad now expected to lead the company's tablet assault on the consumer front.

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