HP & the educational market?

[Matt Agajanian]

Hi all.

The year is 1972. HP introduced the first scientific calculator, the HP-35. A year later, Texas Instruments unveiled the SR-50. Let the calculator wars begin!!

So, now HP & TI are engaged in a continuous one-upmanship.

At battle’s semi-end, HP is out on top with the HP-41 system. Even the I/O surpassed TI’s efforts.

Next, TI enters the educational market. So, why didn’t HP try to get at least its foot in the educational market door?

I would think the 28 and the 48SX/GX would be at least attention-getters in educational circles. Did HP make an effort to tap into that market with those calcs?

In addition, were the 38G, 39G, 49G, 50G meant to be marketed for educational outlets in addition to the sciences and engineering crowds?

[Marcovecchio]

I started my engineering course in 1992, and everyone who had the money, bought HP calculators. I'm from Brazil, and HP had a strong presence here in engineering education.

At that time, I got a 42s and right after a 48s. Some few people got 28s from old stock and short after, EVERYONE got a 48g. Those were great times.

Eduardo

[rprosperi]

These models were intended for the educational markets:

38G, 39G, 40G, 39g+, 39gs, 40gs, 39gII and Prime.

[Opinion]
Though HP had broadened their marketing efforts from Professional/Engineering sales to consumer electronics sales as a result of the success of their early calculators, and in the 80s were moving even more this way with their exploding computer and printer products, the educational market required totally different business tactics, sales channels, margins and committing to long-term strategies (e.g. seeding textbook authors with units) all of which seemed to either not be well understood by HP or possibly not deemed "worth it" at the time.

It's all very clear now looking back on it, but in the late 80's when these trends were just emerging, there was no way to imagine just how much the professional demand would decline and the educational market would grow.

Also, who could have guessed any of the current players (HP, TI, Sharp, Casio) would dare to maintain the same model at the same price for 10+ years, while literally every other product category had prices declining up to 10%/year while the products were improving. Stubborn teachers who don't want to learn new educational tools is hardly a trend one might have predicted.
[\Opinion]

[Thomas Klemm]

(06-27-2022 02:51 AM)rprosperi Wrote:  Also, who could have guessed any of the current players (HP, TI, Sharp, Casio) would dare to maintain the same model at the same price for 10+ years, while literally every other product category had prices declining up to 10%/year while the products were improving.

It's very easy: You bribe teachers by giving them a textbook specific for your calculator for free and in return the students are forced to buy your overpriced calculator.
Maybe HP was focused more on the printer market at that time?

Obligatory XKCD: 1996