When Mark Hurd left HP, there was an inordinate amount of speculation surrounding what would become of the company. Would someone take over and lead the way Hurd did or would the new CEO go in a completely different direction? Now that Leo Apotheker is at the helm and continuing to talk up the value of software, it’s clear that HP is moving away from where Hurd was taking it, and focusing its efforts elsewhere. But in an alternate universe where Apotheker doesn't take over and Apple CEO Steve Jobs takes the helm at HP, what would happen? Would the company look and act the same way as it did under Hurd or would Jobs have taken it into an entirely different direction with new strategies, new focus, and perhaps most importantly, a new corporate culture? In the real world, Steve Jobs would never take over HP, of course, but what if? Here's a look at how HP would change over the next several years.
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1. He’d Double Down On WebOSHP’s decision to acquire Palm was a good one. With that acquisition, the company was able to take over Palm and thus, establish itself as another software provider, thanks to WebOS. Given Steve Jobs’ history with Mac OS X, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he spent considerable cash improving WebOS and making it a top competitor in the mobile market. If all went well, he would likely also make it a top choice in the PC space.
2. Computer Designs Would Take Center StageOver the last several years, HP has been doing a much better job at improving the designs of its PCs. However, it hasn’t done enough. Given Steve Jobs’ desire to deliver the best-looking products on the market, it likely wouldn’t take long for HP to start sporting much nicer designs across its entire product lineup.
3. Windows Wouldn’t Be So ImportantAs mentioned, Steve Jobs would do everything he could to make WebOS a key component in HP’s strategy after taking the helm. In the process, he would also direct his company’s focus away from Windows. Microsoft wouldn’t be too happy about it, but as Steve Jobs has shown time and again over the years, he doesn’t necessarily believe in the value of Windows. And he would bring that mindset to HP.
4. The Mobile Market Would Be A Central FrontIf Steve Jobs has proven anything as of late, it’s that he believes the mobile market is the next important frontier in the marketplace. Realizing that, he would likely work to improve HP’s smartphones and tablets to ensure they could do a better job of competing in that space. WebOS would also play a key role in that strategy.
5. He Would Play Nice With the Enterprise?Over the years, Steve Jobs hasn’t been so kind to the corporate world. Rather than give in to their demands, he’s forced companies to follow his lead. Some firms have done that, while others have not. But with HP, he’d have no choice but to play nice with enterprise customers. The corporate world is too important to HP’s business for Jobs to treat it the same way at HP as it does at Apple.
6. Apotheker’s Software Strategy Would Be Thrown OutWhen Leo Apotheker took over at HP, he made it clear that his focus was going to be software. But outside of WebOS, Steve Jobs wouldn’t focus his efforts there. Throughout his career, he has been committed to hardware. And he would likely take the same tack at HP. So, if nothing else, Apotheker’s strategy would likely be thrown out.
7. Prices Would Go UpMake no mistake that after Steve Jobs were to take over at HP, prices would go up considerably. It’s understandable. He would revitalize the company’s PC line, invest in better software, and probably deliver an iPhone-like smartphone strategy. Along the way, he would force consumers and even enterprise customers to pay a bit more.
8. He’d Play Nice With DevelopersThird-party developers have proven integral to the success of Apple’s mobile strategy. Without those folks, the company’s iPhone and iPad wouldn’t be nearly as popular as they are today. Realizing that, if Steve Jobs took over HP, he would likely deliver a wide-ranging App Store that would easily best anything HP is currently planning on.
9. Secrecy Would ReignOne of the biggest problems at HP is that the company doesn’t necessarily know how to keep secrets. Unlike every other company, Apple knows how to keep secrets and ensure that the hype surrounding a company is built up. HP isn’t so successful at maintaining secrecy. With Steve Jobs at the helm, however, all that would change.
10. Change the Corporate CultureThe corporate culture at HP is one that’s focused mainly on doing quite a bit of things for many different kinds of customers. If Steve Jobs were to ever take over, that would change. Like at Apple, he would bring a sense of superiority, elitist mentality, and secrecy to HP. And that alone might just help the company grow beyond its current size.
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