Report: HTC Considers Buying webOS or Other Mobile OS

From DailyTech: Google, Inc.'s Android operating system may be the industry gold standard, currently accounting for approximately 50 percent of global smart phone sales, but faced with intellectual property issues and market homogenization, many top Android phonemakers are reportedly considering creating or adopting proprietary operating systems.

The latest rumor, reported by the Economic Observer of China, claims that Taiwan's HTC Corp. is considering buying an operating system for use in its best-selling smart phones.

The publications quotes HTC chairwoman Cher Wang as stating, "We have given [purchasing a proprietary OS] thought and we have discussed it internally, but we will not do it on impulse. We can use any OS we want. We are able to make things different from our rivals on the second or third layer of a platform. Our strength lies in understanding an OS, but it does not mean that we have to."

In other words HTC is content to currently use its Sense User Interface (UI) to differentiate itself on its target platforms, but it might want an operating system of its own. While this is hardly a firm commitment, it's enough to spark much excitement in the mobile community as it leaves the door open that HTC might buy Hewlett-Packard Company's (HPQ) webOS.

WebOS was a promising operating system which had arguably some distinct advantages over its more successful competitors. However, HP essentially ran it into the ground, failing to deliver compelling products and then bailing on its first webOS tablet after less than seven weeks on the market.

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