Hewlett-Packard is shaking up the thin client market, but rival Wyse Technology doesn’t sound rattled. During a quick chat with The VAR Guy earlier today, Wyse CEO Tarkan Maner predicted HP’s decision to acquire thin-client specialist Neoware would send partners into Wyse’s welcoming arms.
It’s hard to argue with HP’s track record over the past year or so. The company has enjoyed rising sales, rising earnings and a stock that’s hovering near a 52-week high. But Maner asserts that Neoware partners will get lost within the broader HP. He also believes Neoware will need to take some sales direct in order to “feed HP’s hungry direct sales team.” (In HP’s defense, the company has gotten high marks from VARs for avoiding channel conflict in the past two years.)
Still, the Wyse-HP showdown doesn’t appear to be a winner-take-all situation. While HP gains a new tool for its product portfolio, the privately held Wyse rang up record results in its first quarter of this year, Maner asserts. Moreover, Maner credits close relationships with big partners — particularly IBM — for Wyse’s continued momentum.
HP announced plans to acquire Neoware on July 23.
