Palm Boosts webOS with SDK Access, Cloud Service
Palm’s efforts to jump-start an ecosystem for its new webOS platform took another step forward Wednesday, when it expanded the release of its Mojo software development kit (SDK). The announcement at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco also included plans for integrating cloud services into the webOS platform, as well as the unveiling of an application that will allow legacy Palm OS programs to run on webOS devices.
Release Later in 2009
Before the announcement, the Mojo SDK had been available only to a small group of developer partners, but now it will be provided to a wider group of developers who apply for access at the Palm Developer Network Web site. However, the company said access will continue to be limited as improvements are made, and a general release will be scheduled later this year.
Palm Senior Vice President Michael Abbott emphasized the importance of developers to the webOS ecosystem. With the SDK available to more developers, he added, “the enthusiasm for webOS will only grow and accelerate.”
Jeffrey Hammond, an analyst at industry research firm Forrester, noted that an SDK is “only the first step” in getting developers actively creating applications for a new
platform like Palm’s webOS. Other essential issues for developers, he noted, include “what the overall ecosystem looks like,” what’s the business model, how well the application store works, and whether the barrier to entry is reasonable.
Palm is emphasizing to developers that “webOS is a new kind of mobile platform.” For instance, the company said, HTML, JavaScript, and CSS are integrated into the architecture, applications can cache data locally and be readily customized, and the platform has true multitasking.
In the Cloud
Part of the new ecology for the webOS is in the cloud, with a new branded cloud service that provides resources over the Internet. The Mojo SDK, in its…
Related posts: