HP CEO: We'd License WebOS To Handset Makers, Appliance Makers, Whoever

Devin Coldewey

Devin Coldewey is a Seattle-based writer and photographer. He has written for the TechCrunch network since 2007. Some posts he’d like you to read: The Dangers of Externalizing Knowledge | Generation i | Surveillant Society | Choose Two | Frame Wars | The User’s Manifesto | Our Great Sin His personal website is coldewey.cc. → Learn More

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Speaking at All Things D’s D9 conference today, HP CEO Leo Apotheker answered some audience questions and cleared up some concerns over whether webOS would simply be HP’s exclusive in-house OS, or whether they would be spreading it around.

When asked about the licensing situation, Apotheker responded that “It’s a great OS — why wouldn’t we want to offer it to other companies?”

Appliance makers, small businesses, and even someone like HTC. When asked what HP would do if the Taiwanese handset giant came to them wanting to make a webOS phone, Apotheker said “We’d certainly have that conversation.” Very open-minded, Leo!

But with so much development going into webOS for printers, PCs, and other HP specialties, how much longer can it remain a viable mobile OS while Apple and Google continue their arms race?

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