Hewlett-Packard has previously said it will utilize Palm's webOS in smartphones and slate PCs, but on Tuesday it exposed it has one more category of products in mind: printers.

HP is purchasing Palm since it needs the company's operating organization to utilize in Web-connected printers, Chairperson and CEO supposed through HP's periodical earnings describe. The printers let public print maps, theater tickets and further content directly from the Internet, without needing to start a computer.

"You can surely make the same case for lesser form-factor products in the mobile world, similar to a slate," he added.

HP does desire to grow Palm's smartphone business, Hurd added, but that's not its only motivation for purchasing the company, and possibly not still the biggest.