After the cancellation of all HP WebOS hardware, the future of the operating system looked bleak. Every HP statement implied their endeavor with the innovative mobile operating system was over.
The HP Pixi, Pre, and Touchpad all lost their luster in the public eye.
HP's new CEO, Meg Whitman, had the future of WebOS to contemplate as the first main bullet point to her new career choice. The community waited on bated breath for months, now the answer is here. WebOS is now being offered as open-source.
HP CEO Meg Whitman on her decision, "[WebOS] is the only platform designed from the ground up to be mobile, cloud-connected and scalable... By contributing this innovation, HP unleashes the creativity of the open source community to advance a new generation of applications and devices."
The ultimate goals were laid out as follows:
● To accelerate the open development of the webOS platform
● HP will be an active participant and investor in the project
● Good, transparent and inclusive governance to avoid fragmentation
● Software will be provided as a pure open source project
The application framework for webOS 3.0, ENYO, will also be offered up in the near future. Slowly but surely, every bit of the webOS user space will offered up for community “hacking.” If the widespread innovation over the open-source Android platform is any indication of where webOS may be headed, I am sure we will see the card interface on the most obscure mp3 players sometime soon. Luckily, a free-for-all fragmentation of webOS will be quelled; HP is retaining control over all related patents.
What can we expect? WebOS on more mobile hardware. More applications for the OS. A WebOS emulator for PCs. I, for one, cannot wait to start developing. Countless other feel the same way.
See a recent medical MRI app using a HP Touchpad and WebOS, after this link.
Cabe
Sent: Friday, December 09, 2011 2:03 PM
Subject: webOS to be contributed to the open source community
Meg Whitman
CEO
TO/ All Employees
SUBJECT/ webOS to be contributed to the open source community
Today, we announced that HP will contribute our webOS software to the open source community and support its development going forward. We believe that this is the best way to ensure the benefits of webOS are accessible to the largest possible ecosystem.
Since we announced the discontinuation of our webOS devices last August, the executive team has been working to determine the best path forward for this highly respected software. We looked at all the options in the market today and we see a clear need for a platform that is both open and has a single integrated stack.
webOS is the only platform designed from the ground up to be mobile, cloud-connected, and scalable. By providing webOS to the open source community and other hardware vendors we have the potential to fundamentally change the landscape.
HP engineers, partners, other developers and hardware manufacturers will be able to contribute to the development of webOS. Together, we have an opportunity to make it the foundation of a new generation of devices, applications and services to address the rapidly evolving demands of both consumers and enterprises.
I would like to thank the webOS team for continuing your efforts under very difficult circumstances during these last couple of months. Your dedication is very much appreciated.
This is a very positive move for the development of our people, our software and HP overall.
We strongly believe that the best days for webOS are still ahead.
Best,
Meg
