WebOS running on an LG Smart TV
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Developer |
LG Electronics, Previously Hewlett-Packard & Palm |
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Written in | C++, Qt |
OS family | WebOS (based on Linux kernel) |
Source model | Open source |
Latest release | 3.0.5 (tablet) 1.4.5 (Pre, Pre Plus (US), Pixi, and Pixi Plus)2.1 (Pre Plus (UK) and Pre 2) 2.1.2 (Veer) 2.2.4 (Pre 3) (phone) / 12 January 2012 |
Marketing target | Embedded devices |
Available in | English (US), Spanish, French, Italian and German |
Platforms | ARM |
Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux kernel) |
Default user interface | Graphical (Luna) |
License | Apache License |
Official website | www |
WebOS, also known as Open WebOS or LG WebOS, (previously known as HP WebOS and Palm WebOS, stylized as webOS) is a Linux kernel-based multitask operating system for smart devices such as Smart TVs and it has been used as a mobile operating system. Initially developed by Palm (which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard), HP made the platform open source, at which point it became Open WebOS. The operating system was later sold to LG Electronics. HP still held many patents related to WebOS. In January 2014, Qualcomm announced that it had acquired technology patents from HP, which included all the WebOS patents.
Various versions of WebOS have been featured on several devices, including Pre, Pixi, and Veer smartphones, TouchPad tablet, LG Smart TVs since 2015.
Palm launched WebOS, then called Palm WebOS, in January 2009 as the successor to Palm OS. The first WebOS device was the original Palm Pre, released by Sprint in June 2009. The Palm Pixi followed. Upgraded "Plus" versions of both Pre and Pixi were released on Verizon and AT&T.
In April 2010 HP acquired Palm; WebOS was described by Leo Apotheker as a key asset and motivation for the purchase. The $1.2 billion acquisition finalized in June. HP indicated its intention to develop the WebOS platform for use in multiple new products, including smartphones, tablets, and printers.