IPod+HP
| Company type | Collaborative product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Hewlett-Packard, Apple Inc. |
| Fate | Partnership terminated in 2005 |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto , United States |
| Products | iPod devices (fourth-generation iPod, iPod mini, iPod photo, iPod shuffle) with HP branding |
The Apple iPod+HP series consisted of Hewlett-Packard-branded iPod devices, distributed under the HP name.
On January 8, 2004, HP's CEO at the time, Carly Fiorina, revealed the collaboration with Apple for the iPod+HP at the Consumer Electronics Show. This partnership involved Apple producing iPods for HP, while iTunes came pre-installed on all HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario models. The initial product was the fourth-generation iPod, available in 20 GB and 40 GB storage options. The iPod+HP was originally intended to feature "HP Blue" coloring to align with HP's computer design.
The product range later grew to incorporate the iPod mini, iPod photo, and iPod shuffle. Although these devices carried HP branding, repair services were provided solely through HP Authorized Service Centers rather than Apple Store Genius Bars, even though the hardware was identical.
Deal termination
After Fiorina's exit, on July 29, 2005, HP decided to terminate its partnership with Apple. The contract included a clause preventing HP from launching rival digital music players until August 2006. Despite ending the collaboration, HP continued to pre-install iTunes on its home computer lines until January 6, 2006, when it entered a new agreement with RealNetworks to feature Rhapsody on both HP and Compaq machines.