Dubai, UAE, 4 December 2007 - HP today announced that it will seek an alternative business model for its HP-branded cameras and shift resources toward its Print 2.0 growth initiatives. 

HP is currently working to identify an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner that would be licensed to design, source and distribute digital cameras under the HP brand. HP will continue selling its own cameras through the holiday season and intends to have the partnership arrangement in place in the first half of 2008.

This shift in strategy is intended to enable HP to accelerate its investment in Print 2.0 initiatives. These include furthering HP's leadership position in home photo printing and online photo services, while accelerating the company's retail photo-finishing business.

Announced in May 2007, the company's Print 2.0 strategy focuses on three areas: delivering a next-generation digital printing platform that increases print speeds and lowers the cost of printing for high-volume commercial markets; making it easier to print from the web; and, extending HP's digital content creation and publishing platforms across all customer segments.

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About HP
HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers - from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world's largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $104.3 billion for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.

About HP Middle East
HP is the largest technology and solutions provider in the Middle East with 670 employees and subsidiaries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Khobar, Cairo, Ramallah, Oman and 2 service Joint Ventures in Kuwait and Bahrain servicing the GCC, Egypt and the Levant. HP has been present in the Middle East since 1968 and opened its first regional office in 1994. HP Middle East is the market leader for enterprise, small and medium business and consumer technology products and offers a large portfolio of solutions and services in various business domains.

More information about HP in the Middle East is available at www.hp.com/me

Editorial contacts:
Reem Al Ansari
+ 971 4 391 6000
reem.al-ansari@hp.com

Mohammad Zaher Souleiman / Jai Tolani
Impact Porter Novelli for HP
+971 4 3304030
m.souleiman@ipn.ae / j.tolani@ipn.ae

Hewlett?Packard Middle East
PO Box 17295
Dubai Internet City
Dubai
www.hp.com/me

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© 2007 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

© Press Release 2007