Hewlett Packard split into two companies yesterday: One is Hewlett Packard Enterprise, or HPE, which will sell infrastructure to enterprises. The other is HP Inc., which is the company’s printers and PC business.
But whatever you do, don’t call the infrastructure business HP Enterprise.
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British newspaper The Register did, and got scolded. After referring to HPE as HP Enterprise, officials with the company requested that the reference be changed and the company only be referred to as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, or HPE.
HP Enterprise insists we don't call it that – here's what its PR sent in: pic.twitter.com/JaWRDp3SfZ
— The Register (@TheRegister) November 2, 2015Why is the company being so persnickety about it? Probably because the names are confusing. They obviously want to keep the “HP” moniker to HP Inc. – the printer and PCs division. The new enterprise business name is meant to connote the original founders of the company, and be a more formal name: Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Plus, they don’t want people getting confused between HP Enterprise and HP Inc. Even though they inevitably will.