By Carl Bagh: Subscribe to Carl's RSS feed
September 1, 2010 2:01 PM EDT
HP-acquired Palm has released WebOS 2.0 beta for developers even as a formal launch later this year is due with new improvements and features to woo the developer community.
HP completed its acquisition of Palm on July 1. HP is in the throes of launching a WebOS-based tablet in 2011. It is also working to release Windows 7 and Android-based tablets, a whole array of tablets and smartphones cutting across various platforms.
Palm has launched Palm Pre and Palm Pixi smartphones based on the first WebOS version, and HP intends to continue using WebOS in smartphones.
The Software Development Kit (SDK) for developers comes with improvements on its Stack features. The feature seen in Palm Pre which made multi-tasking on the smartphone easy comes with an additional feature that automatically creates groups of related stacks thus reducing clutter and making it easier to move the stacks.
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It also features 'Just Type', its new name for Universal Search which allows search through its webOS world. It sports a new feature Quick Actions which launches an email, update a social network status or do a web search without needing to launch an app.
Another feature included is Exhibtion, which allows developers to build ways for users to see apps when a Palm phone is placed on the Touchstone Charging Dock.
HP strategy to release the beta version of the WebOS is an attempt to educate the application developers before the official release. Currently the success of any smartphone or tablet is based on the number of applications available for the platforms it is built on.
For developers the primary criterion for choosing a platform is its money-making potential. They also consider whether the platform offers a "quick to code and prototype" feature.
In the mobile application industry it is imperative that a particular mobile platform corners a large share of apps mindshare. Presently Apple iOS and Google's Android rule the roost.
Apart from the monetary perks, the apps developers also generally look for technical support from the platforms in the form of access to hidden APIs which are made available to OEM's, device prototypes, quick certification and approval process, technical documentation and future road map of the OS.
Palm WebOS currently has only 3,500 apps compared to Apple's 250,000 apps and Android's 100,000. Hence the release of an SDK will help HP guage app developers' inclination towards its WebOS 2.0 thus giving it opportunity to enhance its platform. Since the key to success lies with developers HP's efforts are in the right direction.
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