HP to release open source webOS in September
Former Palm platform will appear under the Apache licence with tools to support web services and cross-platform apps
Published: 26 January, 2012
READ MORE: Hewlett-Packard | OS | WebOS
Hewlett-Packard has laid down the timeline for open sourcing its webOS operating system, which it acquired with Palm but sidelined in last year's strategy shake-up. The code will be released under the Apache 2.0 Licence in September, adding another Linux-based mobile OS to the list of open source platforms seeking a role alongside Android, iOS and WP7. The other major contender is Tizen, a combination of Intel's MeeGo and Samsung-backed LiMO, though both these systems have a tiny presence in the commercial market so far.
In the lead-up to the September release, HP will offer various webOS components to developers under Apache. First will come Enyo 2.0 and its sourcecode, which will be available immediately. Enyo 1.0 is a tool for writing applications which run across different webOS device form factors and release 2.0 adds support for other operating systems. This allows programmers to create apps which span iOS and Android as well as webOS, as well as several PC browsers including IE and Firefox. One of webOS's attractions was that it was designed to harness the trend towards browser/cloud services and has strong web capabilities.
HP expects the open webOS beta to be published in August, with the full version 1.0 in September, which is a rapid schedule by mobile open source standards.
As IDG points out, Symbian took a 20 months to release its code after the decision was taken to open source it, a timelag which proved to be fatal as it was overtaken, in the meantime, by the rise of iOS and Android. In hindsight the opening up of Symbian, designed to expand its market reach, proved terminal, and many expect the same fate for webOS and MeeGo/Tizen - although if Samsung continues to support the latter, or (as rumoured) merges it with its own bada, it could make it a strong platform in certain sectors and a counterweight to Google.
The process should be simpler for webOS than Symbian or Tizen because there is a less complex range of legacy technologies to handle, and the Apache licence is fairly permissive, allowing developers to mix open source code with their own and sell products with combined code.
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