LG WebOS, originally developed by Palm Inc, then Hewlett-Packard before making it open-source, and then licencing to LG Electronics, has come a long way from when it was first developed, and plays a far different role. When originally introduced, it way made as the modern successor to Palm OS for use on smartphones, before being purchased by Hewlett-Packard (HP) for its wide range of devices (but failed at it), but it is currently an operating system which has been used on multiple different platforms for LG since purchased in 2014. From smartwatches, smart-fridges, and projectors, LG's iteration of WebOS has lived, but kept a home in their smart televisions. The next biggest step for LG was to take it open-source.
LG stated their their reason for bringing an open-sourced version of their operating system was to bring in developers who would like to use the operating system, as well as benefit from the WebOS tools built-in. This would also help grow the iconic platform once more, and allow developers to become more familiar with it. Partnerships and platform building was key in the decision to make the source code available.
We are unsure of when exactly the source code will become available and open-source, or if it has already been done. Going forward, LG plans to bring their software, carefully and slowly, to a wider range of their devices, similar to how Samsung is using their own Tizen operating system; which was also built off of legacy platforms. Let's hope this version of WebOS doesn't face the same fate as HP's Open WebOS did just a few years ago.
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