Editorial: Should Google buy WebOS from HP and roll it into Android? Why not?

It’s been a busy week, a week of big announcements. First we had Google and Motorola joining hands in holy matrimony and now it’s HP’s decision to dump WebOS after only 16 months after it’s purchase of Palm. From all reports though, they are only dumping the hardware and devices that webOS was being developed for and discontinuing all current devices. They are however, continuing on with the software, the question? Why? So anyway, this got me thinking, HP have just dumped it, surely they would part with it cheaply and try and recuperate that $1.2bn they spend on Palm, rather then spend more money on developing it and also supporting it, especially considering their move away from the consumer side of the market. This is where Google could come in. Tell me to shut up if you think I’m being silly but Android’s major issue is inconsistency and also lack of spit and polish from both a UI perspective and also from a general software point of view. Web OS is known as a beautiful OS, elegant and refined, with great ways of handling things such as notifications and also search, It’s Cards app switching idea is brilliant and also looks cool, the last piece of the puzzle, it was masterminded by now Director of Android User Experience at Google, Matias Duarte. If anyone knows the software and UI it’s him.

It would make sense to purchase the WebOS software from HP and not only roll it into Android but pull all the goodness out of it and pull all the badness out of Android and just throw it in the trash. It may seem drastic but it could also allow for lawsuits from Microsoft and Oracle to almost just go away, if enough code used in Android was swapped out for WebOS code. Now I’m not a programmer and don’t know whether or not that would be feasible or even doable, but it seems relevant. It seems natural, buy a hardware company and then buy WebOS and just roll it all in together. It could also stifle another an issue Google might have, and went I say might, I do mean might. Stephen DeWitt, Senior Vice President at HP and in charge of the WebOS division, has come out and said that WebOS is not dead, and they it’s still going to be supported.

The WebOS is not dead, we’re going to continue to evolve it, update and support it. We stand by it.

And there is the issue. If HP decide to open source or just plain old license (ask Microsoft how licensing Windows Phone 7 is going) WebOS and allow other manufacturers to use the mobile operating system, the likes of SE, LG, Samsung and LG could all jump onto the software and start selling handset with it. This is especially apparent seeing as even though Google PR suggested they are all happy with the Motorola acquisition, they are starting to show that may not be the case starting to show they are not. If those companies are looking for another viable source of income, an open source WebOS could just be the answer. Would it really work though? I mean Windows Phone 7 isn’t really setting the world on fire, I mean Samsung own internal OS, bada sold better then Windows Phone 7 in Qtr 2 of this year, now that’s saying something. Or does it say something for un customisable software? Android can be skinned and Windows Phone 7 can not, unless your Nokia of course, but it does beg the question, is the reason Android has taken off because it can be skinned? or just because it got in at the right time? There is a slight issue with HP licensing WebOS, if they can make decisions like this, to both dump hardware fresh off the manufacturing floor, makes you think they wouldn’t stop supporting the software entirely too?

We are in a very strange world right now, it’s really only a 2 horse race, with a load of companies trying to make it a 3 horse race. You have Microsoft with Windows Phone 7, Rim with it’s BlackBerry OS and then there is the now defunct WebOS trying all to get to that 3rd spot. In my opinion I think it’s too late, though I do think Nokia can pull Windows Phone 7 out of the depths and make it a viable competitor just due to their mind share and market reach. Getting back to the point though, if Google has an opportunity to grab WebOS do you think it should be done? Do you thinking beating a dead horse is worth it or does it have potential? I think that it has got the potential and I would love for Google to grab it. One question that will be answered soon is, if HP decide to open source it and not just throw it in the bin, has Google just shat in it’s own nest and will the other Android manufacturers go for a run with WebOS? Time is always on our side and when it pans out, we will be here.