Samsung are rumoured to be interested in buying webOS from Hewlett-Packard if an article on Digitimes is to be believed.
According to Digitimes, Samsung have already recruited Hewlett-Packards former vice-president of PSG marketing Raymond Wah, where he is expected to take charge of Samsung’s current PC sales.
Earlier this month, Hewlett-Packard said that they plan to spin off its PC business. Despite a few Internet rumours, Samsung have said that they are not interested in the company’s PC business, though Digitimes say that they are now considering a purchase of the webOS software, though both Hewlett-Packard and Samsung declined to comment.
The report said “The sources noted that the acquisition of HP"s PC business, which has a rather low gross margin, may turn out to hurt Samsung"s panel and DRAM businesses that have rather high gross margins, therefor HP"s webOS may be the target that Samsung has the most interest in.”
A move for webOS would place Samsung into direct competition with Google, a company that Samsung has had increasing success working with thanks to their Android-powered smartphones and tablets.
HP acquired the webOS platform when it purchased the Palm smartphone company for $1.2 billion in 2010. HP has been promoting its expansion of webOS to other products, including PCs, in the last several months. In a surprise move a couple of weeks ago HP has confirmed that it will be shutting down nearly all of its webOS division, effectively closing the doors on both its Pre smartphones and its recently released HP TouchPad.