back to article HP Inc exec: Yes, we'll put a bullet in the X3 device

HP Inc has finally confirmed it is to kill off X3 device sales and support by the end of 2019, cutting short the proposed roadmap and hanging the blame on Microsoft's "change of strategy" with its mobile OS. The three-in-one PC debuted in February 2016, built around Microsoft's Continuum. El Reg's lab vultures tested the kit …

  1. Daniel von Asmuth
    Facepalm

    we are not an operating system company

    That's from the folks who brought you MPE, HP-UX, Apollo OS, RTX-11, Tandem Non-Stop OS, VAX-VMS, OSF-1, and many others besides.

    1. asdf

      Re: we are not an operating system company

      That is HPE or more likely that HP died long ago really.

    2. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      Re: we are not an operating system company

      If you are going to count acquisitions in here you might as well add Palm too.

      As far as excuses go, this takes "The Dog Ate My Homework" and beats it into oblivion with a sledgehammer.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: we are not an operating system company

      AFAIK they only developed MPE and HP-UX (ported from SysV) in house. All the rest as noted were acquisitions.

  2. Erik4872

    Killing the OS is definitely a "change in strategy."

    It's strange to watch the last few months of Windows Phone's life. You can tell that Microsoft desperately wanted the lock-in and guaranteed revenue stream that owning a mobile platform would give them. But I think reality finally set in that they weren't there in time to influence things the way they can with PCs.

    Not to worry though -- if they can't lock people in on phones, they're definitely going to do it with Azure. Especially with Azure Stack -- they're basically repeating the IBM mainframe model. Ship a box with "no user serviceable parts inside" to a customer, keep it fed and cared for, and charge by the MIPS. It's a very smart business strategy, and the main reason IBM can afford to attempt a transformation into a management consulting firm.

    1. Aitor 1

      Re: Killing the OS is definitely a "change in strategy."

      For now it is way cheaper to run things like that..

      1. Mikel

        Re: For now it is way cheaper

        The first hit is always free.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Killing the OS is definitely a "change in strategy."

      Microsoft is at the same point now they were at when they introduced Windows Phone 7, and all the time in between. A mobile platform with a tiny fraction of the market, purchased only by corporates who do the "you can't get fired for buying Microsoft" thing, along with a handful of Windows fanboys.

      Microsoft was caught flat footed by the iPhone, but unlike Andy Rubin who realized what it meant and undertook a crash program to modify Android to imitate it, Ballmer laughed at it and thought it irrelevant. By the time people at Microsoft finally realized how relevant it actually was, both iPhone and Android had all the buzz. Smartphones were seen as the new hotness while PCs were old and tired, and a third smartphone alternative would have had to bring something really novel to the table to get noticed. Microsoft's big feature? Live tiles and a bazillion megapixel camera on one model...pretty underwhelming!

      They did everything wrong - they got in bed with Intel and their failed mobile chips, and they made a splashy deal with Nokia that turned off other OEMs who knew they wouldn't get the level of support Nokia did. That's probably why Samsung went all-in on Android despite being a big Windows Mobile supporter in the past. Why would they want to take Nokia's leftovers in a niche market when they could own the far larger and growing Android market?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Killing the OS is definitely a "change in strategy."

        "you can't get fired for buying Microsoft"

        That is definitely it in corp IT. Buying Microsoft is a non-decision, just continue the status quo. I think this is changing though as end users are more tech savvy and want to use the good stuff. If you went to any company and had a vote on what they would rather use, Apple/Google or Microsoft, Apple/Google would win in a landslide. It wouldn't be close. Any younger company generally already uses Apple/Google. IT is clinging to things like "yeah, we know no one wants it, but... we need MSFT because it is secure". Really? Is that what MSFT has been known for?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Devil

      Re: Killing the OS is definitely a "change in strategy."

      Yes, going the IBM route, a truly clever decision...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Killing the OS is definitely a "change in strategy."

        Like IBM mainframe, only with constant outages. Why anyone would use Azure when there are other, better options is beyond me. It must be their claim that they are "enterprise grade", i.e. none of the end users want to use their tech anymore so it must mean they are more secure or something.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    HP... A mere shadow

    of your former self. Time to give up and close down. Once it was a great place to work but now ... you couldn't pay me enough to work there.

    1. sawatts

      Re: HP... A mere shadow

      "you couldn't pay me enough to work there"

      They don't pay anyone enough to work there - thats one of their problems.

      1. chrishu

        Re: HP... A mere shadow

        HPE is still a great place to work for.

        And HP Inc has still great products.

        And windows phone mobile OS is still a great OS. And windows phones the best in class.

        Microsoft will come back in the windows phone game, sooner or later. Its what microsoft does. Its what microsoft does best. Invent something, doesnt work completely, scrap it and later come back for a second try, a third try until it finds something that does work.

        Ex-HP employee.

    2. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: HP... A mere shadow

      I'm sure HP of the past would have managed to update it to Android.

      All it needs is an RDP app to use their cloudy desktop. We're not even talking Samsung's version of Continuum, although that would be nice too.

      Samsung's better at software than HP. That's pretty bad.

  4. James Anderson

    Microsoft are making a habit of this

    See another ditched product:

    https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/2/16401898/microsoft-groove-music-pass-discontinued-spotify-partner

    How can anyone trust MS to support any product long term?

  5. Mike Wood
    FAIL

    UK Sales of Goods Act

    Well,

    For all those who bought this device in good faith in the UK, HP May have an issue.

    The UK Sales of Goods act states that the device must be fit for purpose, free of defects and supported (6 Years in England and Wales and 5 in Scotland)

    Time to speak to my credit card supplier and get a pro-rate refund

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: UK Sales of Goods Act

      Love to believe that would work, but I expect some small print in the mega word EULA excludes software.

      Looks like my 950xl will also be an expensive brick soon enough as well...

      1. cambsukguy

        Re: UK Sales of Goods Act

        Like my 950, your XL will work just fine until it doesn't.

        Most of the important apps on there are UWP apps which get updated 'for free' along with their Windows 10 counterparts.

        Eventually, there will be no apps at all that are not UWP ones and the old ones will be too tired and stop working, or more likely, the servers required will change their API.

        Then WP10 will be dead, which is a crying shame and a sin on MSs part, shame on them.

        It is also a mistake, they will always look bad for not having a mobile offering.

        Unless, of course, they simply sell a Windows 10 device that is indistinguishable from a phone, and runs PC apps.

        People would probably buy it because it would be supported as a PC would be, for a very, very long time.

        Meanwhile, my WinPhone had 8 apps updated in the last week, and I don't have many apps (obviously).

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: UK Sales of Goods Act

        As I have said in this publication before and many other places besides (this is a bit of a bug-bear for me - as you will see!)....

        It doesn't matter what any company puts in their EULA's if it contradicts statute, statute wins every time, without exception.

        You, or anybody else for that matter, cannot give up the protections afforded by law, willingly or otherwise. And others most definitely cannot take away from you, the protections of law. Even if they write it on a fancy bit of paper and call it an EULA, then make you sign it to say you accept the terms, it still doesn't supersede statute - it is, literally in this case, not worth the fancy paper it is written on!

        Only an act of Parliament can do that - even Judges and the judiciary cannot put aside statute.

        This, of course, is the case in the UK. Your Jurisdiction May Vary!

        1. MJB7

          Re: UK Sales of Goods Act

          Whether you can give up the protections afforded by law depends precisely on how the law is worded. Some protections are written as terms which are necessarily part of the contract (and those you cannot give up); others are worded as default terms which are assumed to be part of the contract unless the contract says otherwise. Obviously you cangive those up.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Angel

    Y'all Can Kiss My Tisch

    HELLO, NYPD!!!!! Have I got a DEAL for YOU!!!!!!

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So, why one shuold develop UWP applications today?

    Just to deliver a subpar experience to users, while running on PC only?

    1. polwath

      Re: So, why one shuold develop UWP applications today?

      Yeah, exactly. The point of UWP is run apps on every device isn't it?

      Microsoft lose this point from the start and that is why WP is died and waiting to burial now.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Microsoft ruined itself once again.

    Everything of Windows Phone and Windows Mobile itself should be live longer and more widespread than now if Microsoft not fucked it up in recent years. Force partner to cancelled and abandoned their good product and investment which should be a great deal. Low apps, loyalty customer got back-stabbed, renew every upgrade with no backward compatibility, selfish, high-ego and no listen to anyone cause the end of it. Utterly sad from me.

    WP fall apart because of Microsoft dick move. Shame on you.

  9. rdhood

    A long history of abandoning consumer products...

    I don't know what x3 products are, but I purchased enough HP-abandoned consumer products in the 2000's to NEVER touch another. That, and the big NVIDIA graphic adapter problems that HP/DELL went through around 2006/7 (an how HP handled it compared to DELL) convinced me to never buy ANYTHING from HP ever again, and I worked for them at the time!

  10. Sawrome
    Facepalm

    Hmmm

    This is actually sad. I'm one of those guys who kinda like Windows Mobile. And now they are just letting it die slowly. They could've picked up another path and actually improve it, make something new and different. But nah, better to abandon.

    Regards,

    Bernice - mobile app developer at jatapp.com

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