Report: Moto Building Web-based Smartphone OS

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

Word on the street is that Motorola is working on a web-based mobile operating system to serve as a back up for the company's Android dependency.

InformationWeek last night reported that Motorola has hired a number of experienced mobile and Web engineers from Apple and Adobe and that this team is hard at work developing a web-based OS. The aim of developing the new OS is said to be a reduced reliance on Google's Android OS. Should something happen to Google, Android or Motorola's partnership with the company, it would seem Moto doesn't want to be left high and dry.

Google sees its fair share of patent infringement suits and InformationWeek suggest these might be a more immediate concern for Motorola and serve as part of the motivation behind creating a new OS. According to a source familiar with Motorola's plans, there are a number of reasons, including Android fragmentation, product differentiation and issues related to the Google’s support for its partners.

Despite not denying the development of a new OS, Motorola has said it is still committed to Android.

"Motorola Mobility is committed to Android," a Motorola spokesperson told PCMag. "That's our statement, and I can't control how you interpret or print it."

Jane McEntegart
9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • sudeshc
    Interesting but looking at Android progress and growth its waste of time and money to develop a new OS just like Samsung's Bada OS i dont see much of any future for these OS's
    Reply
  • Tomtompiper
    Wouldn't it be more prudent, cheaper and sensible to throw their weight behind LiMo?
    Reply
  • Outside the USA carriers are very upset that Google has come in and is cannibalising their revenues. As soon as there is a viable alternative to Android (MeeGo?) carriers and handset manufacturers around the world will dump Google BIG TIME.

    Reply
  • RobinPanties
    Sorry Software Dude, it's like that in the U.S. too, and those guys, like the MPAA and RIAA, just need to realize that the world is changing and their old business models are through and need to change with the times. They are used to making everything "add-ons" and "upgrades" and enjoying massive margins and it's not going to cut it any more. With services like Google Voice, Skype, etc., soon you'll only need a data connection and you're good. Consumers are more tech savvy then ever, especially with a generation that grew up with the internet and cell technology now flooding the marketplace as young adults and parents. This is a society that has grown accustomed to getting things free, unlimited, open source, etc. and people in general are becoming somewhat more frugal with economic uncertainties. If Motorola wants to create their own OS, then they should, but it better pack something that's new, revolutionary and not offered by current OS's or it'll risk just being another one of the pack, and way too late to the party.
    Reply
  • you know Android is open source...... nothing stops moto taking the source code and re-purposing it for their needs, this doesn't have to be a from the ground up brand new OS, it could easily be a side evolution of Android
    Reply
  • One of the reasons they are developing a new OS is to get away with Android just in case Google loses to Oracle.
    Reply
  • sounds like they want to re-invent webOS
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    OpenSourceAndroidyou know Android is open source...... nothing stops moto taking the source code and re-purposing it for their needs, this doesn't have to be a from the ground up brand new OS, it could easily be a side evolution of Android
    If Google loses a court case to Oracle then Android, no matter how repurposed it may be for a manufacturer, will still be affected...
    Reply
  • WR2
    Didn't MS sue Moto a while back about Android licensing?
    Maybe they're just getting ready to negotiate for some price breaks on Android license fees?
    Reply