HP CEO Says Apple to Likely Take Away PC Leadership Position in 2012

[Akshay Masand]

Meg Whitman, HP’s new CEO recently told journalists that Apple was doing “a great job” and that her company’s rival (which was once smaller) is likely to pass HP to become the world’s leading PC maker next year. When asked by Le Figaro, a French newspaper, Whitman agreed with the Canalays' prediction that Apple’s sales of Macs and iPads would make it the leading PC vendor in 2012.

Whitman continued to add that she thinks “it’s possible if you integrate the shelves. Apple makes a great job. We need to improve our game and our products to take over the leadership position. Apple could go past HP in 2012. We will try to become the champion in 2013. It takes time for the products on which I have come to influence the market." (via Google Translation)

It was also noted that as CEO, Whitman devoted two teams of 100 employees each to study whether or not to spin off or sell HP’s Personal Systems Group that builds PC. This decision resulted in HP announcing that it would keep the PSG in place. What consumers are still waiting for is the fate of HP’s webOS, which is to be released within the next two weeks. Whitman added that HP still has a team of 600 employees “in limbo” waiting for an answer to the decision.

When asked if tablet computers were comparable to PCs, Whitman answered that they weren’t yet and continued by noting that tablets are mainly used for the consumption of media and emails. According to her, tablets are not effective for productivity software. “Our studies show that this is an additional purchase that does not encroach on the PC market,” Whitman said, as she refuted the iPad’s non-controversial impact on the PC market. "This is an important area on which we want to go," she added.

An interesting thing to take note of here is that HP beat Apple’s iPad to market last year with its slate PC running Windows 7, a device that could run Microsoft’s Office suite. However, the market largely ignored the HP Slate PC (and other Windows 7 tablets) and HP as a company abandoned the product as it shifted its developer resources toward building this year’s webOS powered TouchPad, which also failed to find interest in the market.

As of right now, Whitman indicated that HP’s future tablet strategy will return to using Microsoft’s Windows 8, which is expected to be available at the end of next year. It’s also rumored that Microsoft will be bringing its Office suite to the iPad, where Apple’s own iWork apps exist as the top selling productivity software in the App Store currently. It is a bit interesting to see the CEO of such a large corporation admit that they will be passed up and acknowledge their faults.

Source: Le Figaro

[BenderRodriguez]

Highly doubtful especially since Mac is only about 15%-20% of the market

[hogcia]

iPhone & iPods will not replace a desktop/laptop pc. Apple still holds a very small pc market compared to windows.

[anekin007]

Really? What kind of CEO did HP just hired? With that attitude she wont last more than a year.

[mosesh]

Meg Whitman is saddest excuse of a human and a CEO, a respectable company like HP should not have to deal with her.

[sziklassy]

Highly doubtful especially since Mac is only about 15%-20% of the market

We aren't talking about market share, we are talking about PC makers. They will take the lead of PC MAKERS, as in they will be making and selling more PCs than any other company.

[epikarus]

If Macs become mainstream then where would all those hipsters go?

[sphangman]

Highly doubtful especially since Mac is only about 15%-20% of the market

don't you have a coloring book you need to fill in ?

[Cheesey123]

Really? What kind of CEO did HP just hired? With that attitude she wont last more than a year.

They hired a REALIST! She knows that in some areas HP aren't competing how they could be and should be. HP no they have to start moving in a different direction so I'm looking forward to seeing the out come in 2012-2013. On a side note hopefully they will keep webOS and improve on it.

[Taniban]

don't you have a coloring book you need to fill in ?

That comment was clearly not needed.

[BenderRodriguez]

don't you have a coloring book you need to fill in ?

R u trying I say I'm wrong or r u wanting me to color the book with u and help u stay inside the lines?

[ShadeZeRO]

If Macs become mainstream then where would all those hipsters go?

That is a serious problem indeed. I'm surprised she isn't getting praise from a lot of the members here. I suppose fanboys dont like fangirls?

I kid, I kid! She does seem somewhat reckless for publicly stating that though.

[RICO_]

Tablets are not PCs and currently cannot replace home or office computers. iPad is not a PC.

[lkailburn]

Yeah right.

-Luke

[Go Gators]

The iPad isn't even close to being a PC! She is right that tablets are mainly used for media and emails. The iPad is to slow and to restricted to do any real computing. It only has 512mb of ram for gods sake. Lol! They're trying to call it a PC just to make Apple's overall PC numbers look better. Simple as that!

[AUZambo]

We aren't talking about market share, we are talking about PC makers. They will take the lead of PC MAKERS, as in they will be making and selling more PCs than any other company.

Thanks...I was about to post the same thing. I don't think they mean there will be more OSX computers sold than Windows computers sold, they're saying Apple will sell more computers than HP, Toshiba, Dell, etc. individually.

[jrrtps]

Tablets are not PCs and currently cannot replace home or office computers. iPad is not a PC.

100% agree

[BenderRodriguez]

100% agree

I also 100% agree
And Apple also agrees by 5% ROFLCOPTER

[Anthony Bouchard]

Highly doubtful especially since Mac is only about 15%-20% of the market

This is slightly underestimated. Should be about 20%-25%.

[BenderRodriguez]

This is slightly underestimated. Should be about 20%-25%.

I did say about but that's sounds like a little better estimate