No 3G for HP Until 2007

An anonymous reader writes to tell us CNet is reporting that HP will not be bringing 3G support to any of their new 'smart phones' until at least 2007. From the article: "[HP] cites the costs associated with the service, coupled with the fact that 3G's killer app -- TV and video streaming -- isn't yet viable on mobile phones as the primary reasons for its decision. '3G is still only occupying 3% of the world pie,' HP's Vice-President for Consumer Products and Mobile Business Group in the Asia-Pacific region, Chin-Teik SEE, told CNET.com.au at the company's 'magical mobility launch' event in Hong Kong last week."

Comments

Re:If all parties

[gjh]

Well... except that I have a 3G phone and use it all the time. It downgrades nicely to lower 2G stuff when I travel. It's a fantastic phone, I totally recommend it.

It's not that 3G might not happen - it's whether *some markets* will end up preferring WLAN before 3G gets a good foothold. Because either way, it's going to be IP that ties it all together before long. It all depends on good phones and good flat-rate data plans.

Killer App ?

[Pop69]

I have a normal GPRS mobile, the internet stuff is useful but not a killer.

For me the useful things my current phone (Sony Ericsson K750i) does are the camera (2 megapixel) and the MP3 player (1 gig capacity). Means I carry one thing in my pockeet instead of three.

The real killer app for me is the ability to control my PC with it over bluetooth, handy for presentations and stuff, and for the look on peoples face when the PC suddenly gets a mind of its own.

The most I've ever used the internet access for is to check football (soccer) results on a Saturday afternoon when I wasn't near a TV.

"Old" HP vs "New"

[ratboy666]

The old HP brought us the HP 65. What was the market for that? 3%? No, it was 0%, since the product had never been made or marketed. It new and exciting.

The new HP is worried about "nascent markets", and is delaying enabling products.

The old HP brought us RPN, and some fine diagnostic kit, that was new and exciting.

The new HP brings us reasonable office printers. I guess it isn't nascent; I like my HP 3015.

They are sure boring now, which is sad because HP is a melange of companies that sure were not boring. HP: first in micro tech, diagnostics, DEC: first in minis, COMPAQ: first in PC cloners.

It looks like first becomes last after two mergers.

Ratboy