Intel, Samsung Develop New Mobile OS Platform

You have to give Intel credit for its persistence.

>ZoomThe German edition of the Financial Times recently reported that Intel and Samsung may be merging the failed MeeGo OS with LiMo and create a new Linux-based operating system with strong HTML5 support to support their hardware platforms.

This report may have been confirmed by an announcement that the LiMo Foundation and the Linux Foundation will building a new open source platform called Tizen, which is scheduled for a Q1 2012 release. The OS will be targeting smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, netbooks and in-vehicle infotainment systems. There has been no official confirmation that Intel and Samsung are, in fact, the major industry forces behind this new platform.

Intel's MeeGo hopes died with Nokia's decision to dump all efforts and focus on Windows Phone. Previously, Intel promoted Moblin Linux with its first generation Atom processors with Silverthorne core in 2008. Moblin was based on Asianux, which included components of RedFlag Linux, Miracle Linux and HannSoft.

So far, Intel has not had much luck with its operating system ideas, but Tizen could be of a different caliber as it appears to be backed by Samsung as well. If that is the case, however, there may be new rumors what will happen to HP's WebOS, as Samsung was rumored to be one of the bidders to acquire the software. Perhaps we should start thinking into the direction of other platform companies, including Qualcomm?