HP unveiled several new productivity-focused laptops at its Amplify Partner Conference in Chicago last week, as well as several peripherals, including printers and true wireless headphones.
However, the Amplify event wasn’t just about new products. There was an emphasis on HP’s environmental commitment and the company’s position that 80% of employees prefer to spend some time in the office.
According to HP’s Future of Work research, below-average technology expertise is the most significant barrier to implementing hybrid work.
Extensive product updates
HP introduces the new HP EliteBook 800 and 805 G10 Series PCs as the latest business convertibles. This EliteBook starts at $1,569 and is equipped with a 13th generation Intel Core processor and HP Presence technology.
HP Presence provides innovative technology that provides an advanced proximity sensor embedded in the PC frame that detects the user’s presence and triggers the camera and Windows Hello to authenticate, authenticate, and unlock the PC.
Additionally, the HP EliteBook 600 and 605 G10 Series mid-range PCs start at $999 and come with Intel or next-generation AMD processors. The HP ProBook 400 and 405 G10 Series PCs are the most affordable work-class PCs, starting at $799 with AMD and Intel processor options.
At the event, HP introduced the ZBook Firefly G10 and ZBook Power G10 under the Intel Evo certified ZBook family.
HP ZBook Fury G10 is the most powerful workstation in this series, featuring 13th generation Intel HX processors with Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada Lovelace Generation Laptop GPU, designed to provide fast rendering of 3D models and simulations. The ZBook Studio G10 is a high-end workstation with up to an Intel Core i9 processor and an Nvidia RTX Ada generation notebook GPU.
Along with the new PCs, HP also introduced new True Wireless Stereo (TWS) solutions called the Poly Voyager Free 60, certified for use with Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
TWS-engineered audio solutions allow users to experience true stereo sound quality without the use of wires or cables. With a starting price of $229, it’s available in three variants, which include an optional but very handy touchscreen charging case.
With the Poly Studio X series video projectors and the Poly G7500 modular video conferencing system, HP also released Poly Video OS 4.0, certified for use with Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
At the Amplify Partner Conference, HP also introduced several accessories, including the HP 920/925 Ergonomic Vertical Mouse, which will go on sale this month for $109, and the HP 4K USB-C Multiport Hub, which will go on sale in May. for $79. .
Commitment to channel partners
HP used the Amplify Partner event to announce that it will be adding the Poly, Teradici and HyperX product lines to its Amplify Partner Program.
This smart move will help its channel partners leverage the breadth of HP’s growing product portfolio. HP also announced it will increase compensation for qualified partners that sell a wider range of products, including from Poly, as well as an element that encourages more partners to participate in the vendor’s Amplify Impact campaign, which focuses on sustainability.
When its Amplify program expands this fall to include the acquisitions of video conferencing company Poly, remote computing software provider Teradici and gaming accessory maker HyperX, HP believes these new businesses will generate additional incremental revenue for channel partners.
Opportunities in these channels should grow as HP plans to increase program benefits and services for distributors by adding new supplier partners to Amplify.
As HP’s latest acquisitions are integrated into Amplify, a greater range of products and services previously covered by separate programs from Poly, Teradici and HyperX can now take advantage of the program’s benefits and resources. As a result, partners will have additional opportunities to qualify for Amplify’s Power and Power Services tier, which provides greater benefits.
With these moves, it’s clear that HP wants to benefit its channel partners with expanded program components that drive greater engagement with partners who consistently sell across HP’s broad portfolio of products and solutions. So partners won’t have to switch plans between HP and recent acquisitions, including Poly.
It’s clear that HP wants to make it easy to do business with HP, as the complexity can be overwhelming for partners who market these different product lines. To that end, one of the key themes HP echoed at the event is that channel partner feedback contributes to any changes the company makes.
Adaptation to market conditions
Let’s face it. like its competitors, HP is working through a significant post-pandemic downturn in the PC space. Despite sluggish market conditions, there is optimism that Windows 11 should ignite a much-needed upgrade cycle, especially in the corporate and enterprise markets.
At the start of the conference, HP CEO Enrique Lores was refreshingly candid, commenting that it could take several quarters until 2024 before a significant market recovery occurs.
Moreover, the era of electronic documents, fueled by the smartphone, has put HP’s large printer business on a relatively flat footing over the past six years. The company reported printer segment revenue of $18.9 billion in 2022, up from a peak of $29.6 billion in 2008.
Despite that inevitable revenue erosion, largely due to the cannibalization effect of smartphones and other connected devices, HP should be praised for innovations such as its wildly successful Instant Ink subscription program, a new line of eco-friendly laser printers that cut down on energy use. with 30. %, and the reduction of plastic packaging components by 78%. Through these efforts, HP has managed to keep its printer business relevant, which is no easy task.
HP also announced new SMB-targeted color laser products called the HP Color LaserJet 4200/4300, which are more compact than existing models and pre-configured to quickly manage print adjustments.
Its new Color LaserJet Enterprise 5000/6000 offers similar improvements for business office environments with significant daily printing needs. Particularly interesting is the ability of these new printers to easily edit documents printed directly from a PC printer.
Remote computer management, security
At the Amplify event, HP continued to show off its tech chops with new PC security enhancements via HP Wolf Connect.
Available only on its line of business notebooks, HP Wolf Connect allows IT managers to track, lock, manage and wipe drives on remote notebooks, even when powered off. This capability is facilitated by built-in technology that works with a low-power cellular radio, ensuring that the device is accessible when the laptop is turned off or not connected to the Internet.
Since hybrid work is unlikely to change in the next few years, if ever, this level of security and asset management should be very attractive to cost-conscious CIOs and CSOs.
It’s also easy to imagine this feature making its way into HP’s consumer line at some point, as content creators and SMB users buying consumer PCs will appreciate the feature, even at a premium price.
“Better together” is not just a hint
Despite the market uncertainty, I think HP deserves credit for taking all the measures to ensure that the company is properly positioned to take advantage of the growth opportunity that will arise when the PC market returns to a healthier position.
Integration progress with the Poly and HyperX acquisitions appears to be paying initial dividends at the product and channel partner program level. With more than 85% of HP’s total revenue coming from its channel partners, leveraging these new acquisitions provides enormous potential for cross-selling opportunities. However, streamlining and reducing programming bureaucracy for TV channels should be a high priority. HP seems to understand the “failure is not an option” business fact.
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HP likes to use the “Better Together” mantra to highlight the features users can enjoy when different devices work together seamlessly, as is the case with HP’s new HyperX and Poly headset solutions that don’t require a dongle. for leakage. box pairing.
With its comprehensive product portfolio, HP is one of the few companies besides Apple that can make Better Together more than just a marketing pitch. Finally, HP has a huge opportunity to evolve the very nature of computer perception.
At the conference, Alex Cho, president of HP’s Personal Systems business, argued that the term “laptop” has become obsolete due to the mobile “studio” attributes, such as high-definition video conferencing with professional audio quality, that mobile computers are. is now often used.
I completely agree with Choi, and this new philosophical positioning of what we call the laptop today has huge implications for the industry. We can look back in a few years and see that this is when the evolution of the laptop began.