Hewlett-Packard Co. will turn its WebOS software into an open-source project, aiming to get other hardware makers to embrace the struggling operating system as an alternative to software from Apple Inc. and Google Inc.
WebOS, acquired in last year’s $1.2 billion purchase of Palm Inc., will be offered under a license that lets hardware manufacturers and software developers access its source code and use it freely in products, the Palo Alto, California-based company said today in a statement. Hewlett-Packard will remain active in developing and supporting WebOS.