farbot.com

Palm has finally admitted that they are working on a new version of the PalmOS based on linux. The revelation was made at today's Palm Investor Day event. This is not the Access Linux Platform (ALP) that is being worked on and is now giving out development kits to handset makers. Other announcements that fit with recent moves by the company were also made and are worth noting.

Palm OS 5 devices will still be released this year, but devices based on the Linux kernel should (my emphasis) be released by the end of 2007.

The Linux-based PalmOS announcement isn't a surprise to many of the Palm faithful, as there have been job postings related to Linux development on the Palm website on and off which were noticed by the handheld-oriented media. Palm OS 5 devices will be released later this year, but the first Linux-based devices are expected to be released before the end of 2007.

The recent aquisition of Chatteremail and a recently signed deal with Opera to use their browser on "future Palm products" are both indicators that new devices from Palm will include both highly-regarded pieces of software. I suspect we'll see Chatteremail on the Palm OS 5 devices and running in emulation on Palm OS Linux devices, while Opera will run natively in Palm OS Linux.

Palm also stated that they're focused on making hardware platforms that can run either their PalmOS or Windows Mobile, and they are not planning to license their new PalmOS to anyone, period. They've also been building a strong patent portfolio to guard against cloning of "the zen of Palm" ease of use.

Another important statement was their commitment to a multitasking core and simultaneous voice and data by using Linux's strong multithreading capabilities.

Seen on 1Src, which linked to the details at TreoCentral.