HP to Drop iTunes in 2006?

[MarcelV]

Well... You have Dell up here at the top.. and then a million miles away, the rest, including HP and Gateway and others.

Sounds like you're pretty shortseighted. There is more than just desktop machines in the world. Ever heard of Tandem/Non Stop NSK., owned by HP? Those are the heart of most financial institutes and stock markets (like Nasdaq). Those are premium priced machines with a large profit margin, because you can't run those machines without service contracts.

 

[EricNau]

I have a request for ALL PC makers. Stop bundling all of this crap at all!! Give me a clean system and let me decide.

Doesn't Apple preload stuff also?
-But I guess we could argue that the stuff that comes with Apple is actually GOOD. (Like iLife) - Only I wish they would stop including the Microsoft Office Test Drive, it's useless, and just a pain to get rid of.

 

[yellow]

Sounds like you're pretty shortseighted. There is more than just desktop machines in the world. Ever heard of Tandem/Non Stop NSK., owned by HP? Those are the heart of most financial institutes and stock markets (like Nasdaq). Those are premium priced machines with a large profit margin, because you can't run those machines without service contracts.

It doesn't change the fact that HP nearly went under. Besides, they don't bundle iTunes on a server, do they?

 

[BenRoethig]

I'm sorry to hear HP is doing that.I think it's a big mistake.But hey! HP usually makes big mistakes anyway.
They should stick to making printers imho.

Their mistakes seem to sell alot of computers.

 

[maya]

No surprise, and you can hardly blame them. Why on earth would they give Apple a free helping hand? There's no reason to.

They have promoted iTunes for quite some years, I believe they did they part as far as Apple is concerned.

The word is out, this is all that Apple required.

 

[Rantipole]

Please explain to me why not bundling someone else's software, that someone else will make the money from, is bad for HP?

Because the people buying the computers want it, and it doesn't COST HP anything.

Opposite to what an earlier poster said, HP support WILL start getting phone calls saying "where is iTunes?"

 

[Randall]

I know that this looks like a mistake to iTunes fanbois (I am one of them) but perhaps HP is considering rolling out it's own mp3 player, or worse yet, teaming up with Microsoft and MTV for their little "iPod killer".

I personally wouldn't worry about it though, iTunes + iPod is awesome. And with 70+% of the market share, Apple can finally feel what it's like to squash the competition. No portable player and music store combination can compete with that kind of market share (assuming that Apple doesn't sit on it like Microsoft did with IE.)

 

[Le Big Mac]

so? can't users just download it anyway?

My thoughts exactly. So what? All those iPod buyers will download iTunes almost immediately.

The only thing to worry about is if HP cuts a deal with someone else, MS, Rhapsody, someone, who gets some kind of exclusive. But even then, the power of the iPod is too much.

 

[Peace]

Their mistakes seem to sell alot of computers.

True! And Microsoft sells a lot of software..

 

[whooleytoo]

Could this be because, as the Intel Macs approach, and Apple's market share is gaining, it makes little sense for HP to be actively selling a direct competitor's products?

 

[Peace]

Could this be because, as the Intel Macs approach, and Apple's market share is gaining, it makes little sense for HP to be actively selling a direct competitor's products?

It's more than likely due to Microsoft getting into the music/video download service and since HP is one of Microsoft's "valued partners" they were told to stop offering iTunes..

 

[iris_failsafe]

I think HP is travelling the same road as IBM, focus on its corporate business and leave as much as possible their consumer market (not counting the printer division, which they always try to sell but is the most profitable part of HP so...)

The new CEO wants that, therefore selling iPods doesn't really fit in. It is not a move against Apple per se.

Carly wanted HP to do everything and she failed miserably, so now they are trying to refocus and so while they decide on whether to leave the consumer market or not they'll just bundle the Microsoft stuff

And about the Ipod killer I think Dell is a more suitable candidate to team up with MS and MTV...

 

[dr_lha]

Doesn't Apple preload stuff also?
-But I guess we could argue that the stuff that comes with Apple is actually GOOD. (Like iLife) - Only I wish they would stop including the Microsoft Office Test Drive, it's useless, and just a pain to get rid of.

Pain to get rid of? Try dragging it into the trash can. Worked for me.

 

[Windowlicker]

The way I see this is HP failed benefitting from the iPod sales. So now that they realized their plan failed they have no reason to bundle itunes with their machines either.

I believe this same thing will happen to Motorola.

 

[EricNau]

Pain to get rid of? Try dragging it into the trash can. Worked for me.

Maybe not that big of a pain, but I did an archive and install once and it came back, and over-rid the current (real) version I had. So I've had to do that twice. (I know, really not that big of a deal)

 

[Peace]

Maybe not that big of a pain, but I did an archive and install once and it came back, and over-rid the current (real) version I had. So I've had to do that twice. (I know, really not that big of a deal)

I know folks want to save preferences and the like but I would never recommend the archive and install option except in rare ocassions.

 

[bigandy]

now all HP need to do is realise their PCs are a pile of pish, and start concentrating on things they are, or at least were, good at. like high end printers and scanners.

 

[grapes911]

I know folks want to save preferences and the like but I would never recommend the archive and install option except in rare ocassions.

Archive and install gives you a clean system like a format and install, but it keeps most of you programs and settings. It is the perfect way to upgrade. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't use it.

 

[PtMD]

It doesn't change the fact that HP nearly went under. Besides, they don't bundle iTunes on a server, do they?

Wow... Sources please?

Being a shareholder of many companies, AMD, AAPL, and HPQ included I was shocked to learn they almost went under...

Have you looked at their quarterly results? Over the past five years how many quarters were they *in danger* of going under?

Puff the Magic Daddy

 

[TimmyD]

I'm just glad they finally dumped the HP iPods. I never quite saw the importance of that agreement...

 

[iHavenolife]

It was only a matter of time, but because of the prior agreements with Apple they can't enter or do anything in the music industry for a year after they dropped the iPod.

 

[yellow]

Wow... Sources please?

Being a shareholder of many companies, AMD, AAPL, and HPQ included I was shocked to learn they almost went under...

Have you looked at their quarterly results? Over the past five years how many quarters were they *in danger* of going under?

Puff the Magic Daddy

Well, ok, "going under" is a bit strong a phrase. Their sales SUCKED the last couple years. Their stock plummeted into the $20s. They were a "troubled" company. It's only been this year (post new CEO) that their sales have rebounded and brought their stock back up (and HOW!). Kudos to the new CEO. He's done a fine job.

 

[EricNau]

I know folks want to save preferences and the like but I would never recommend the archive and install option except in rare ocassions.

It's what the Apple Genius told me to do, and I didn't have much of a choice. After the 10.4.3 update, the computer just never restarted (never go past the grey start-up screen). In order to keep my files that's what I had to do.

 

[Peace]

It's what the Apple Genius told me to do, and I didn't have much of a choice. After the 10.4.3 update, the computer just never restarted (never go past the grey start-up screen). In order to keep my files that's what I had to do.

Ok..Ok...Ok...I GIVE!

It's just that I regularily install/uninstall/reinstall so many different variations of OSX that my apps would get confused..Clean install for moi`.

 

[Porchland]

I have a request for ALL PC makers. Stop bundling all of this crap at all!! Give me a clean system and let me decide.

That's the problem with manufacturing a commodity product. HP, Dell, etc., can't make money selling computers anymore, so they have all turned into prostitutes for the software companies.

I guess they do what they have to do, but it's nice to use a computer made by a company that markets design, power and a great UI. (And I ain't talkin' about Dell.)

PowerBooks don't have to come preinstalled with crapware for Apple to make money on them.