HP to make webOS open source, plans webOS tablets in 2013
Interestingly, HP also said it plans to build webOS-powered gadgets in the future. Although the company was reluctant to provide a specific timeframe and details, HP CEO Meg Whitman said HP likely will sell webOS tablets in 2013, according to TechCrunch. Whitman told The Verge that HP will not make smartphones . HP plans to build Windows 8 tablets next year.
That HP is planning webOS tablets comes as a surprise. The company in August discontinued sales of its webOS-powered TouchPad tablet (as well as its smartphone business), citing weak demand.
As for HP’s plans to open source webOS, the company said it plans to continue to be active in the development and support of the platform. HP also will make the underlying code of webOS available under an open source license. The company said this will allow developers, partners, HP engineers and other hardware makers to enhance webOS and bring new versions to market.
HP will work with the open source community and will look to foster “good, transparent and inclusive governance to avoid fragmentation.” Additionally, HP will contribute ENYO, the application framework for webOS, to the open source community in “the near future.”
