Hewlett-Packard (HP) expects to reach a decision on its PC unit within 12 weeks, according to the executive heading up that division.
Speaking to CNBC Todd Bradley said the company was exploring a wide range of options and while spinning out the PC business is a possibility it is not a definite course of action.
"We’re looking at a variety of strategic alternatives to HP’s ownership of PSG, everything from potential spin off to nothing. Work will get completed probably over the next eight-12 weeks and we’ll sit down with our board and take them through the results," Bradley told CNBC.
Bradley is currently EVP of HP Personal Systems Group (PSG), the division that includes personal computers, HP webOS-powered tablets and smartphones. He was previously CEO at Palm, which was of course acquired by HP last year for $1.2bn.
He also discussed future plans for the webOS business, and said that HP had not abandoned tablets altogether.
"We said we would stop manufacturing webOS devices, we did not say we’d get out of the tablet business," he said. "WebOS is still a strategically important asset for us, since we’ve announced we won’t build the software and sell it we’ve seen interest from a number of large parties interested in working with us and potentially licensing webOS."
HP shocked the industry late last week when it announced the potential spin off of its PC division and that it would discontinue manufacturing its TouchPad tablet. It also entered into an agreement to acquire UK software house Autonomy in a $10bn deal. The moves see HP reposition itself alongside IBM as a software and services vendor, rather than low end PC hardware.
HP’s share price plummeted around 20% after the announcement was made, knocking $20bn off the company’s value and putting pressure on CEO Leo Apotheker.
