14 DAY TRIAL // LG made a very bold move by deciding to release an open source version of webOS, in an effort to make the platform more accessible, and to embolden developers to create their own flavors.
Not too many companies dare to release their leading platform as an operating system. Google is probably the best example, but Android is not truly open source. What LG is trying to achieve is also quite different, as they are more interested in enhancing their OS with the help of third-party developers.
webOS is actually a rather old operating system, initially built by Palm as the successor of Palm OS. After going through a number of other hands, it was eventually licensed by HP to LG. Technically, the operating system is now owned by Qualcomm.
LG wants people to build the next generation of webOS
The new webOS Open Source Edition is available right now from webosose.org, and anyone can get the source code and fiddle with it. LG promises that even new developer will have an easy time understanding how it works since it’s based on Linux and comes with full HTML5 and CSS3 support.
Dr. I.P. Park, Chief Technology Officer at LG Electronics says that “webOS has come a long way since then and is now a mature and stable platform ready to move beyond TVs to join the very exclusive group of operating systems that have been successfully commercialization at such a mass level. As we move from an app-based environment to a web-based one, we believe the true potential of webOS has yet to be seen.”
LG’s strategy is a clever one. With the help of NIPA (The National IT Industry Promotion Agency) in South Korean, which is actually a governmental body, it will accept business proposals from startups that are already registered. Eventually, LG will choose the best proposals and will provide logistical and technical support. Basically, it will use the power of the community to build a better OS that can spread to other platforms.