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HP to Cease Sales of Apple iPod Players.

Category: Other

by Anton Shilov

[ 07/31/2005 | 11:32 PM ]

After reselling Apple’s iPod players for over 1.5 years, HP has decided to cease the practice and stop selling Apple’s products to its customers. It is yet unclear whether HP wants to eventually release its own player, but the company indicated that reselling Apple’s player did not fit within its strategy.

“HP has decided that reselling iPods does not fit within the company’s current digital entertainment strategy. As a result, HP plans to stop reselling iPods by the end of this September,” Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris told in an interview with BetaNews web-site.

HP has been selling Apple iPod players with 20GB, 30GB and 60GB storage options. In addition, only recently the company began to sell iPod mini and iPod shuffle players. After stopping shipments of the iPod, HP will continue to provide warranty for already sold devices, Apple indicated.

It is not immediately clear how much the loss of HP would affect iPod sales. Apple said that HP iPods have accounted for an average of about five percent of total sales of the player. Apple does not normally speculate on future products or sales of individual products, and did not provide any sales guidance, BetaNews web-site notes.

Reasons behind HP’s move are unclear.