Samsung to exit desktop computer business, signaling the end of Chromeboxes?

Update: Samsung has denied the claim, quoted in TNW as saying:

The rumor that Samsung is withdrawing from the PC desktop business is groundless. Samsung will continue to offer diverse PC products according to consumer and market needs.

Samsung has been the sole manufacture producing Chromeboxes over the last couple of years, but according to a new report from the Korea Times, the company will soon close its traditional desktop business. The report claims that Samsung has decided to close its unprofitable desktop PC business to focus on tablets, all-in-ones, and hybrid laptops. The company says that “demand for conventional desktop PCs is going down,” and that it would like to dedicate its resources “to popular connected and portable devices.”

Samsung says that even those in research and technology departments are being pressured to switch to tablets and convertible laptops.

“Tablets, all-in-one and hybrid PCs are Samsung’s current focus. Samsung is speeding up its restructuring of its PC business via product realignment toward profitable variants,” said a Samsung official.

Samsung currently produces both the Chromebox and Chromebook devices running Chrome O.S., but if the company does in fact leave the desktop market, the former will likely cease to exist relatively soon. As far as the latter goes, however, Samsung’s intense interest in touchscreens and convertible laptops means that we may see a Chromebook with those traits sometime this year. It could be that Samsung is willing to stay in the Chrome OS market to help make it a recognizable operating system and keep a good relationship with Google. Though, seeing that the Chromebox does not appear to be selling that seems unlikely.