HP acquires Poly, a developer of communications hardware, for $3.3 billion.

Hewlett-Packard Co. is buying workplace collaboration company Poly for $3.3 billion in cash. The transaction enables HP's office technology portfolio to use proven workplace collaboration products such as headsets, video conferencing equipment, telephony and UC&C solutions.

Poly

Poly is a manufacturer of UC&C audio/video equipment, home video conferencing software, device management software, and interoperability software. For companies that don't want to take on the day-to-day responsibility of maintaining a UC&C environment or need help building a system that's right for their business, Poly offers managed and professional services.

Founded in 1957 by two airline pilots, Keith Larkin and Courtney Graham, the company has grown into a global manufacturer of pilot (and astronaut) headsets. Since then, Plantronics, Inc. has grown rapidly, acquiring companies that provide communications equipment for everyone from airline pilots to office workers to gamers.

The big deal came in 2018, when Plantronics bought headset company Polycom for $2 billion. Plantronics' ultimate goal is to be "the partner of choice for communications and collaboration environments." If the newly formed company incorporates Polycom into its operations, it will have all the components it needs to achieve its goals.

Poly Collaboration Solutions for the Workplace Improve the robustness of HP's line of office equipment.

With the acquisition of Poly, HP will have a complete portfolio of workplace collaboration devices and software compatible with the industry's most popular VoIP, video, unified communications and collaboration solutions and contact center platforms. These platforms include Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, RingCentral, BlueJeans, and GoTo, among others. When it comes to communication and collaboration, HP can reach almost any business in any industry, giving them all the phones, headsets, videoconferencing software and everything they need.

Intelligence opinion

Both hybrid and remote work arrangements will continue to exist. Almost all knowledge workers (94%) want to work from home at least part-time. Respondents agreed that they would rather work from home two days a week and commute three days a week. In other words, businesses need technology to maintain communication between employees working from home and those working in the office. Furthermore, the print media as a whole is in a state of constant change. Businesses that rely on print for the majority of their revenue need to find a way to make up for lost revenue and build a new foundation for long-term growth.

The move helps HP achieve both goals. According to a press release about the acquisition, the office meeting room solution is expected to expand in size by 2024. Because of this, HP can start selling Poly's UC&C solutions right away because they have a full line of products in high demand. In the long run, it gives HP a product that will be adopted by new workplaces in the next few years, helping manufacturers penetrate deeper into their customers' information technology ecosystems.