Palm OS

From Palm OS Smartphones to LG WebOS Smart TVs

Palm OS Origins

• Palm OS (1996–2007) was one of the earliest mobile operating systems, created by Palm for PDAs and later smartphones.
• It powered devices like the Palm Pilot and Palm Treo, famous for their simple UI, handwriting recognition (Graffiti), and strong productivity apps (contacts, calendar, tasks).
• By the mid‑2000s, Palm OS was falling behind newer platforms (iOS, Android). Palm needed a modern successor.

Birth of WebOS (Palm Era)

• 2009: Palm introduced WebOS with the Palm Pre smartphone.
• WebOS was designed as a next‑generation mobile OS, featuring the card‑based multitasking interface and apps built with web technologies (HTML5, CSS, JavaScript).
• It was praised for innovation but struggled against iOS and Android due to limited apps and weak hardware support.

HP Acquisition

• 2010: Hewlett‑Packard (HP) acquired Palm, hoping to use WebOS across smartphones, tablets, and even printers.
• 2011: HP launched the HP TouchPad tablet and new WebOS phones.
• However, sales were poor, and HP quickly abandoned WebOS for mobile devices.
• HP briefly open‑sourced WebOS, but its smartphone ambitions ended.

LG Acquisition and Transformation

• 2013: LG Electronics acquired WebOS from HP.
• LG repurposed WebOS as the operating system for its Smart TVs.
• Since 2014, all LG Smart TVs have run WebOS, offering streaming apps, voice control, and smart home integration.
• LG later extended WebOS to appliances (refrigerators, projectors, IoT devices), but not back to smartphones.

Current Status

• Palm OS: Discontinued (2007).
• WebOS (mobile): Discontinued (2011, after HP’s failed attempt).
• WebOS (LG era): Active, powering LG Smart TVs and smart devices today.

Summary

• Palm OS was the pioneer (1996), laying the foundation for mobile productivity.
• Palm created WebOS (2009) as its successor, but it failed in the smartphone market.
• HP (2010–2012) tried to expand WebOS but abandoned it after poor sales.
• LG (2013–present) revived WebOS as a successful Smart TV and IoT platform, where it continues to thrive.

Architecture and Features

• Kernel: Linux-based.
• Languages: HTML5, CSS, JavaScript (web technologies).
• Interface: Card-based multitasking UI (innovative for its time).
• App Store: Initially Palm App Catalog; now LG Content Store for TVs.
• Integration: Works with LG ThinQ ecosystem, smart home devices, and streaming services.

Representative Devices

• Palm Pre (2009): First WebOS smartphone, famous for its card multitasking UI.
• HP TouchPad (2011): Tablet running WebOS, short-lived.
• LG Smart TVs (2014–present): Entire LG TV lineup runs WebOS.
• LG Smart Appliances: Refrigerators, projectors, and IoT devices using WebOS.

Comparison with Other OS