Palm CEO: “We Are Taking a Huge Step Forward” [Internal Memo]

On Wednesday afternoon Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) announced plans to acquire Palm (PALM) for $1.2 billion, throwing a lifeline to the struggling smartphone maker which recently put itself up for sale. Below, the all-hands memo Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein sent to employees following the announcement.

Team,

Over the past three years, we have made remarkable progress transforming Palm. We returned to our innovative roots and delivered some of the best mobile experiences on the market. Today, we are taking a huge step forward in accelerating that strategy with the announcement of a merger with HP.

I am very excited about the potential of this merger (and not only because I started my career there). HP recognizes the value of our platform, our IP and our people, and that is all a result of your hard work. In a very short period of time, we’ve amassed a world-class team, brought webOS to market with widespread acclaim, launched four new devices and launched in eight countries. In short, we have delivered on our original plan.

HP is a world-class company which brings the extensive resources necessary to scale the Palm webOS platform. Together, Palm and HP share a history of innovation and technology leadership, and I look forward to working with them to accelerate the development and adoption of Palm webOS.

There are many decisions to be made and questions to be answered in the coming months as we turn to completing a successful integration. During this process, we must remain laser focused on our priorities – increasing sell through and customer satisfaction, and continuing to work on our innovative product roadmap.

Thanks again for all your hard work, and go Palm and HP!!

Jon