14 DAY TRIAL // Palm's CEO Ed Coolligan has officially announced that the company will deliver a new Linux and open source based mobile computing platform combined with Palm OS Garnet technology on new products to be released later this year. So, the next generation of PalmOS will be Linux-based.
There is no surprise in that and rumors pointed to Palm preparing this all along. The new platform has just been announced so not that many details are available at this point. However, it will have nothing to do with the Access Linux Platform. It will be using Opera as a browser as well as the recently acquired Chattermail for messaging and according to the company, it won't be licensed to other manufacturers, being a "Palm exclusive" platform.
The platform, that is described as a "new foundation for Palm", will combine aspects of Palm OS Garnet and a Linux Core. According to Colligan, Palm is currently focusing highly on connected web applications and web services built around mobile devices, reason for which the Opera browser will likely be tied to the new platform. AS for the devices that will run it, we should expect to see new products "very soon" this year. Colligan mentioned that it would not be critical to offer the new device initially through carriers.
Palm will offer the product directly to customers and eventually also offer it via carriers. The manufacturer will also continue to release Windows Mobile-powered devices. Now why is this great news for Palm device users and fans? Because since Palm is cooking up a new OS, it looks like they won't have to switch to the Windows Mobile, that some love while some hate, anytime soon. Devices that run the new Linux-based OS should be out by the end of this year.