HP's Consumer PC to Come With Symantec Backup Storage

Symantec has announced an agreement to distribute Norton Online Backup on HP consumer desktop and notebook PCs worldwide.

The move is part of Symantec's plans to expand its consumer business beyond its line of Norton security products.

The 30-day trial offer of Norton Online Backup will come preinstalled and will provide five gigabytes (5GB) of secured online storage. It will be followed by an annual subscription for USD $50.

While nearly half of consumers report having lost files in the past, less than a third regularly back up.

By providing the online backup solution, Symantec is hoping to benefit from its ease of use and HP's market strength.

The cloud backup service is one of various new products Symantec has launched in the last 12 months to drive sales.

However, analysts suggest it may take some time for the backup product to substantially boost sales.

Symantec already has a PC distribution agreement with HP, through which it sells Norton Internet Security, a suite of programs to fight hackers and other threats.