webOS to be Open Sourced

HP: webOS to live on through open source, hardware lineup still dead (for now) -- Engadget

When HP abruptly announced it was discontinuing the TouchPad and ceasing work on any future devices running webOS, we took that to mean the underdog operating system had died a premature death. But when the company ousted bumbling CEO Leo Apotheker and replaced him with Meg Whitman, we had to wonder if webOS might have some life in it yet. Well, the company just came back with a final verdict: the company will continue to develop webOS, as promised, but with the help of the open source community. In other words, webOS as a platform will live on, and developers both inside HP and out will spruce up the OS for interested OEMs (whoever they may be), along with people who already own webOS devices. Says Sam Greenblat, CTO of the outfit's advanced technologies division: "We looked at all the various options we have on the table. We think this option for the tech industry and HP."

*www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/06/touchpad-apps-2011-06-28-600-03.jpg

Good move but whether it will actually revive the project and whether we will see tablets and phones bundling WebOS in the future remains to be seen.
There would be nothing better to have a second open souce mobile OS fighting along the likes of Android, and WP7 (apart from the Apple, and Blackberry handsets).

Check out this review by Engadget on the HP Touchpad which featured the webOS. - HP TouchPad review -- Engadget

This The #1 HP webOS, TouchPad, Pre, and Veer Community | PreCentral.net has some nice information about webOS.

This one part is interesting:

Lastly, there’s something interesting we’ve observed with the big player in the open source mobile space. That’s Android, by the way. What we’ve noticed are lawsuits over patents. HP told us that they intend to hold on to their patents and will use them to protect developers using webOS. Considering the foundational mobile device patents that HP holds, such as"Integrated Handheld Computing and Telephony System and Services," i.e. “smartphone”, HP shouldn’t have much difficulty defending webOS from the Apples, Samsungs, and Motorolas of the world.

I don't think there is anything else they could do with it. Anyhow, this is a nice initiative.

R

webOS was such a gem, well lets see, I hope major developers adopt this OS as the poster child for Open Source OS, but who knows?

nice initiative by HP.

Samsung better drop BADA & pick this up.

Sam said:
Samsung better drop BADA & pick this up.

I'll go on further and say, Linux Foundation, Intel, and Samsung should pick this up ASAP instead of Tizen.

N

WebOS had that potential but now that Android has picked up pace it is hard to see any device based on webOS from major manufacturers. To me it looks like HP was very late. They should have open sourced it on day 1

noob said:
WebOS had that potential but now that Android has picked up pace it is hard to see any device based on webOS from major manufacturers. To me it looks like HP was very late. They should have open sourced it on day 1

Agreed. But Samsung have been reasonably successful with their own BadaOS and have their interests in the Tizen project as well. LG did show interests in MeeGo didn't they?
It would be an interesting for a handset manufacturer to bet on it, they can do a lot worse than choosing the well received webOS which actually has decent app support as well with patent protection since that is covered by Palm/HP.
Could possibly be a good competitior to WP7 if not Android, even if odds are stacked against it.

A truly open-sourced webOS would give HP the chance to build good hardware and compete with IBM and Oracle. A dinosaur competing with other dinosaurs will have zero impact on the smartphone market.