HP wants a piece of the smartphone pie and after investing $1.2 billion to buy Palm earlier this year, it’s ready to start cooking.
As Enterprise Mobile Today reports, the release of its new webOS 2.0 mobile operating systems and Palm Pre 2 smartphone is the first step toward relevance in this rapidly growing sector.
The Palm Pre 2 will include a 1 Ghz processor, a 5-megapixel camera, glass screen and what company official describe as a “sleeker, more streamlined” design that incorporates both a touchscreen and slide-out keyboard.
HP, a late participant in the smartphone frenzy, this week announced the release of webOS 2.0, an update to what was once considered a groundbreaking mobile operating system that will serve as the backbone for its new Palm Pre 2 line of smartphones and, eventually, its ambitious tablet PC plans.
Although the Palm Pre 2 will only be initially available in France on carrier SFR starting Friday, HP (NYSE: HPQ) said it will be available to U.S. consumer and enterprise customers in the next few months via the Verizon Wireless network.
The debut of the new mobile OS and Palm Pre 2 mark the first significant sign of life from HP on the smartphone front since it completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm back in April.